I just got off with AA RTW desk trying to make my changes; the agent thought about the Middle East stuff but decided she thought it was ok and sent it to rates... I'll see later today or by tomorrow if they push back and decline it and then I'll ask for detailed reason. I'll report back.

^Looks like AA was fine with my changes, I just gave credit card information for the $125 changes fee and some taxes for two itineraries:

LONE4:
JNB-xDOH-ORD-HDN-ORD-xPHX-HNL-xNRT-PEK-xHKG(BKK)-AMM-FCO-xDOH-JNB

DONE4:
JNB-xDOH-ORD-HDN-ORD-EWR-ORD-xPHX-HNL-xNRT-PEK-xHKG(BKK)-AMM-CAI-xLHR-JNB

Each now includes a Middle East to Europe segment, although the DONE4 currently has a stop less than 24hr, I believe I would be able to make that a stop if I chose.

Due to a wedding that popped up on my calendar, I actually have to squeeze in a separately booked CAI-ORD-CAI to get home for the wedding and then back in time to start my next DONE (exCAI).

Glad to hear it well well
Thanks for updating us

So here's an interesting problem I have.
I am in the middle of an xONE6 ticket with 16 segments. AB canceled the JFK-TXL flight and won't be able to make it to the airport in time to catch the earlier AB flight. The solution would be something like JFK-LHR-TXL on BA or AA. This won't fit within the limit of 16 segments.
My ticket is issued on a third carrier and because AB didn't cancel the flight (just zeroed out all June-October AB7455) that carrier won't rebook (yet).

Did anybody succeed getting 17 segments (e.g. JFK-LHR-TXL instead of JFK-TXL) on the ticket?
The Oneworld explorer fare rules state that surface segments between two areas (i.e. C1-C2) are not permitted. My idea was to convert JFK-TXL into a surface segment and then have AB issue an additional JFK-LHR-TXL ticket.

Any ideas on what to do?

ab can exchange the coupon and then.issued another ticket for your travel.

(this is how cx handle my qr issued ticket for hkg ruh which cx ceases to operate)

Yes, several times, all due to changes in scheduling made by an airline. I also had a situation in which the 1 transcontinental USA restriction had to be relaxed.

I, too, have extended to 17 segments. In my case CX cancelled HKG-JED - and a possibly naive CX agent (CX wasn't the issuing carrier, by the way) re-routed me HKG-LHR-JED!

You can't have 17 segments on a ticket, but there are ways around it. I've had several cases where schedule changes forced adding extra segments. Most recently, it happened before I flew the first segment. AA handled it by noting in the PNR, deleted a few segments from the middle (so it made a valid RTW and a ticket could be issued with no more than 16 segments) and then, after I flew the first couple of segments, AA added back the missing segments.

If you've already flown segments, then the extra ones can be added and a new ticket issued.

What complicates things in your situation is that AB didn't cancel the flight.

Just because you can't book more then 16 sectors on a single ticket, doesn't mean the airline can't do so, and break the ticket rules, in order to fix a problem of the airlines making.

In 2008, I had an LONE4 booked with NRT-MEL as one of the last flights. After booking, but before departure, QF cancelled NRT-MEL and I had to be rerouted via SYD on either QF or JL. That made a 17 sector trip. The ticket was reissued to a paper ticket.
During that trip, there were political problems in Thailand (one of the planned stops) including rioting and several governments had issued travel warnings with airlines offering waivers. I was booked -MAD-FCO-LHR-BKK-SIN- and had the stop in BKK removed and the ticket changed to skip (becoming -FCO-LHR-SIN-). The remaining sectors were rebooked to an e-ticket and the rest of the paper ticket became void (still didn't stop the BA agents from demanding a void LHR-BKK coupon for a LHR-SIN QF flight at checking in FCO)

Thanks for all the feedback. In the meantime AB canceled the segment so I can start rebooking.

2017-Aug-01 New Version of the Rule Sheet
 

Thanks to Himeno for alerting us the new version, in another thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28691021-post2103.html

In addition the inclusion of AA premium economy booking class, which Himeno spotted, I have spotted the following (IMHO significant) change:

Rule 4(e), which concerns allowed second visits to continents, has been rewritten

Previous Version:New Version:Discussion:

1. The wording is simpler, especially for dot point #3
2. The words "when one is a transfer without stopover" have been removed. Therefore stopovers are now allowed on both visits to the continent
3. The second dot point now states that one of the two visits must be for travel SWP-Europe/Middle East. Previously that restriction was not there (I personally have had a second visit which was a transfer without stopover between Nth America and SWP). So this previously valid itinerary would now be invalid ...Africa-Asia-SWP-Asia-Nth America...

This is very significant change indeed. I immediately added second stopover in Europe to my exMPM DONE6, QF agreed to use new fare rules.

This change really helps splitting xONEx for multiple trips. Thanks pandaperth for pointing that out.

The impact of this change would be to now allow visits first to North America, then to South America, and then back to North America. Is there any other scenario that this rule change affects?

I agree. The "one crossing of each ocean" rule would seem to preclude more than one departure without using South America.