Thanks for the tip! As far as I can tell, it looks like BA is getting rid of the 747 to DXB, but the upper deck doesn't bother me either way. (I know it's heresy to many people but I sometimes find the service a little less attentive up there, perhaps because the FAs don't have to walk past you to get anywhere, thereby catching your eye or noticing your empty glass...)

But I took your advice anyway, on the basis of the awful MCT-AMM schedule and the fact that Swissair flies there for nix (who knew?!). Instead of getting up at 3am to make a brutal 5:45am departure out of MCT on a nasty little embraer, I'm now booked on a leisurely 4:55pm flight out of DXB on a tolerable A321.

So... thanks


UPDATE: Just called the AA desk and booked a 16 sector DONE4 without a single AA flight in it. Not even an AA codeshare. CX, JL, QF, BA and RJ flights only. The agent was helpful, knowledgeable and didn't even mention it. So FWIW, AA doesn't care if your OWE is light on their metal.