Loss of LATAM really dings the utility of an xONEx that visits S. America
 

Like for most of us, I suppose, it's been a while since I'd given any thought to buying an xONEx. But today, I starting daydreaming about booking a trip in the future, and it occurred to me: the utility of an xONEx that visits S. America has been totally wrecked by the loss of LATAM. Aside from QR's formerly scheduled EZE-GRU flights, are/were there any other OW operated flights within the region?

While it's in some sense a marginally more useful continent to include than is Asia when flying from Middle East to Australia, unlike that oddball, there's no possibility for a second arrival/departure to explore a bit later on in the itinerary. So unless one eats up coupons with a surface sector or two, it's less a continent to discover than a meager choice of one single South American city to visit (or max, two, if/when QR starts EZE-GRU again).

Of course - it's hard to envisage a near future where the sorts of itineraries I'd used to fly with these tickets would be within the realm of the possible, and a lot will probably change in the rules and the alliance before we reach that happy time. But still - even beyond the pandemic-related barriers - it's a bummer to think about just how limited our options have now become.

I have included S. America on a DONE5 in the past via North America as you can route thru and stop in NA both ways. Flew to GRU and purchased several flights to other cities ( IGU , GIG ) that were very cheap. Remember LATAM has very few, if any , flights with a true J class in SA. Even if I were to have purchased coach , I would have probably not used a lot of segments in SA. GRU or SCL offer lots a options for cheap domestic flights, but I do miss the option for SCL to Easter Island on a xONEx

Now that I think of it: with the South African BA-franchise operator ComAir still in business rescue (and the NBO based BA-franchise operator Regional Air long-since defunct), flight sectors in the African continent are also just as limited as within South America.

Under these circumstances, the rule that counts surface sectors against the total maximum flight coupons (or even, the limit on coupons itself) pinches even harder than it used to....

Still a long way from actually booking another trip - who knows, maybe things improve again by the time that bridge needs crossing....

Don't forget that Latam is still allowed with the Global Explorer, so while you can't amass the miles you could with a Oneworld Explorer, you can still put together some compelling itineraries, for example this 34K mile itinerary -

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a968a08410.jpg