2 Quick Questions
 

I am looking at starting a OWE5 from Brisbane in August 05. Can I start the trip with a BNE-SYD in May to avoid the High season and then continue with the SYD-SCL on the 1 Aug (in the high season)?????

Secondly am I able to travel on what looks like a Iberian code share flight operated by another carrier. Specifically 7904 BCN-CPH, which appears to be operated by MAERSK??

any advice appreciated!

You're required to fly OWE segments on aircraft operated by the OW airline (plus in many cases its regional "offspring", e.g. BA/Comair and others), so the IB codeshare you mentioned wouldn't be allowed.

I can't speak to the seasonality question. I'm not entirely convinced that coach-cabin OWE's are the best use of one's funds - I spent much of my life flying in the cheap seats, and consolidator fares were always much cheaper than the best deals I could find on "real" airlines.

No. First international segement determines season. Can't find in the rules, but it what QF told me when I booked a OWE 2 years ago
SYD-SCL can be hard to get a seat
If you want to save some $$$ consider starting in BKK

No. The only Iberia allowable codeshare parnters are Air Nostrum Binter Mediterranean.
Check the star files http://www.hardlink.com/~markdu/OWFi...eExplorer.html (Link found on the FAQ sticky on top of this forum)

0S ONEWORLD RTW EXPLORER FARE
1N .
2N SEASON
3N -------
4N .
5N .
6N .VIEW -ONE EXPLORER FARES /N*/ONE EXPLORER FARES/
7N .
8N .
9N . * FIRST CLASS/BUSINESS CLASS - ALL YEAR
10N . * ECONOMY CLASS - DETERMINED BY THE COUNTRY OF
11N . TICKET ORIGIN.
12N THE DATE OF THE FIRST INTERCONTINENTAL FLIGHT
13N DETERMINES THE APPLICABLE SEASONAL FARE FROM THE
14N COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FOR THE ENTIRE JOURNEY.

BNE-SYD is very short. You can buy this separately and use the freed up segment on something longer, if you are trying to maximise miles and SCs.

Because you are talking about seasons, you must be in economy. So may not be worth buying it in BKK. Oz economy prices are not too bad.