slight thread drift
Wizofoz,
Your entire argument is not only correct, but exactly the reason Singapore, Emirates and any other carrier should not be given rights to fly across the Pacific.
Australia is simply where it is. We need some advantage over the rest of the world. Everything down here is all to hard for the rest of the world, UNLESS there is a dollar in for someone.
Back on topic. No matter where Qantas hub through, people going to Europe want to go to Europe. A stop in Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok is still a stop. Ka does have a point.