Originally Posted by number_6
So for FF earning it is the rules of that airline (AA in this example). The operating airline is irrelevant for the FF plan. All codeshares work this way, but some airlines include special rules in their FF plans to cover codeshares (often to control how status miles are earned).
While that may be true for normal miles, it is certainly not the case for all bonuses. For an obvious example, the DBL06 bonus that was recently available (for travel through mid-Nov) as part of the AA 25th Anniv Celeb gives you double miles ONLY on AA metal flights.
Since it's past the DBL06 booking window by now, though, it doesn't matter for the OP's particular situation, tho.
Also, to me the "FF plan" includes the concept of upgrades, and certainly AA mileage upgrades are NOT available on LAX-SYD codeshares with QF and such! (I'd be flying to Australia in an instant if they were.) So the operating airline is quite relevant for other parts of the FF plan other than straight earning.