Viajero, I assume that what you're saying is that it is simply a OW-imposed constraint (not IATA or any similar legal constraint)? That is, we will charge you (because we make the rules and therefore we can) the higher of the price where you originate or the price where the person-who-presses-the-ticketing-button is sitting? In an era of electronic ticketing, that makes no sense (other than giving the airlines greater revenue and/or causing additional effort on the part of the customer). If they're willing to sell a DONE4 ex-NRT cheaper than a DONE4 ex-US, that's great - but why make me go through the hassle of calling AA in Tokyo when AA-US has done all the work to set up the ticket for me and could (presumably) push the button just as easily as the people in AA's office in Tokyo?
I'm not an airline or IATA insider so all I have is an opinion based on what I see from the perspective of a passenger. In my view the whole OWE pricing structure is based on nothing more than market rules, and probably even less than that. I find it extremely hard to believe that the airlines are the reluctant slaves of a powerful IATA master that tells them what to charge. Instead, I see the Canada exception as simply the result of one government passing legislation that forbids abuse and the airlines having to comply, reluctantly,
in this case.
As for ex-NRT cheaper than ex-US being great, well, I see the glass half empty and say that ex-US being more expensive than ex-NRT sucks.
