This ticketing is nothing new. A close family member flies regularly LHR-SFO-LHR, but her company's travel agency book her "Europe Destination (eg Berlin/CDG/etc)"-LHR-SFO-LHR-"Europe Destination", with breaks in LHR on both ways. Saves them at least £2k on a ticket at the sharp end, including a one way ticket from LHR-"Europe Destination".
Still, there are always going to be ways to cheapen a cost of a ticket.
Jordan