I'm wondering if we are missing something.

I think maybe the OP is talking about being on a "Direct" flight number from ORD to PVG?

I think you always have the right to call in and request the original credit if your flights ended up different from your purchased iten (for various reasons).

BUT if you call and ask to get actual flight miles instead of the direct miles when you booked the direct flight, this is a one time exception.

I know because it happened to me. In late 2004 I had a "direct" flight from somewhere in Asia (BKK, I think) that connected through somewhere that screwed me out of a lot of miles (probably direct from NRT to IAD but really stopped in SFO). I called and got the original miles and they told me it was a one time thing.

I then tried to call again for the same thing 11 months!! later and they would not do it and said my record clearly stated I had been informed it was a one time thing.

The moral of the story is don't book the direct flight number and then be sad later if you don't get the miles.