I don't think that the issue is that the *A is too large, but rather that there isn't much in the way of competition those markets. In Canada, other than Air Canada your choices are very limited, and none of those choices have alliances with the other major alliances.

I am sure the other alliances probably have areas where they alone fly and can control the market in RTW situations (for example, when I flew to Tanzania, I had to use my Amex points to get a Continential / KLM flight because of lack of choice).

Greg