LHR-LAX won't just survive, it will thrive.

The North Asian adventure is already well on its way to going belly-up, with forward bookings to Shanghai and Hong Kong in 2007 Q1 looking awful, while LHR-LAX-AKL is continuing to show far higher bookings than LHR-HKG-AKL, even though the aircraft from February is still due to be a 777 via LAX compared to a 747 via HKG, although it's becoming increasingly obvious that they will have to be switched.

There are multiple Air NZ trans-Pacific flights which feed into NZ 1/2 LAX-LHR (double daily AKL-LAX, daily AKL-LAX via NAN or PPT or RAR or TBU or APW)), whereas NZ38/39 HKG-LHR gets feed only from AKL.

You're right, the service and quality on NZ 1/2 blows the opposition out of the water (VS is as good in Upper Class, but not Economy).

Travelcentre's have plenty flexibility, and if you seek a relationship with London you'll get one.