I need some help.

Very soon I have a RTW trip planned that has the following routing.

ORD-HKG-DEL-HKG-SYD-HKG-JNB-CPT-LHR..

The first stop in HKG is a stopover.

The second sector through HKG is a transit. OW RTW rules say that you are allowed a transit of Asia from the South Pacific. CX says I am backtracking and want me to take the SYD-HKG flight. I don't want to do the latter since it does not have First and I have plans to have dinner with friends on the evening of the transit.

Just two weeks ago I flew EZE-MIA-LHR vice EZE-LHR which is and was exactly the same type of routing with a transit - not stopover back through North America to reach Europe.

No where in the OW RTW rules do I see anything that says that I must take the most direct routing. As noted earlier, the rules clearly state the transit is allowed.

What can I do? The issue apparently is with CX's North American RTW rating desk.

Help!

The actual wording of the rule to which you are referring is:
(my emphasis on the second exception)

From time to time the interpretation of this exception by airlines has flip-flopped between:

1. Two permitted in Asia when one is
   EITHER a transfer without stopover between the Southwest Pacific and any other continent
   OR on direct single plane service between the Southwest Pacific and Europe
   
2. Two permitted in Asia when one is
   EITHER a transfer without stopover between the Southwest Pacific and Europe
   OR on direct single plane service between the Southwest Pacific and Europe.

And for you, CX is taking the second interpretation

FWIW, I have recently ticketed an itinerary where the transfer without stopover is between Nth America and the Southwest Pacific (ticketed with AA)

Edited to add
I trust you can see that exception wording for Asia is significantly different to the wording for the Nth American exception, which you have made use of before
I agree, there is nothing in the rules regarding 'most direct route' - so whoever told you that is incorrect
Have you considered ticketing with AA? It codeshares on the ORD-HKG leg and will be happy to sell you the ticket if you take that 'over water segment' with AA
Have you tried using the on-line tool to ticket?

JNB is not in Europe/Middle East, it is in Africa (albeit still TC2)

OP is thus trying to go
Asia-SWP-Asia-Africa-EME

This breaches the intercontinental departure rules and does not fall under the exceptions.

Routing it
ORD-HKG-DEL-HKG-SYD-HKG-LHR-JNB-CPT should be acceptable
(ie going to London via HK)

The US was acceptable due to the North American exceptions.

I agree that 2. is subject to interpretation, and (at least on my interpretation) should be written:

2. Two permitted in Asia when on travel between the Southwest Pacific and Europe one is a transfer without stopover or on direct single plane service.

My understand is this rule is there to enable SWP-EME transfers (ie mostly SYD/MEL-LHR) which are not possible without touching Asia.

Everyone. Thank you. I now have a much better understanding of the rules. CX agreed to the routing. I do appreciate the suggestion of using the AA codeshare as well. Once again, thank you to the members of this forum.

PS. By the way, when I planned the routing I used the on-line tool which found the routing to be acceptable.

Interesting that you got it approved.
I had always assumed that would be against the rules as otherwise the "between SWP and Europe" are essentially superflous, there being no other single direct flights that would only touch Asia

I do understand what you mean but if the wording had been:

Two permitted in Asia when one is a transfer without stopover or on direct single plane service.

it begs the question What does on direct single plane service mean? What are they talking about? By adding between SWP and Europe they are telling you exactly what they are referring to. If someone knows that the only single direct flights between 2 other continents via Asia are SWP-Europe flights then the extra words are indeed superfluous. But to someone without that knowledge they are explanatory. In trying to be very clear about one specific option (direct flights) they created confusion about the other option (transfer without stopover) so that it can be and is variously interpreted as either:

Two permitted in Asia (when one is a transfer without stopover) or (on direct single plane service between the Southwest Pacific and Europe.)

or

Two permitted in Asia (when one is a transfer without stopover or on direct single plane service) between the Southwest Pacific and Europe.

Which routing? What made them agree?

There is no f class for hkg-syd on CX I assume u r taking QF?