I'm drifting the thread a bit here too but around that time in the 70's there were obviously several permutations of the UK-Australia route operated by BOAC. My JJC log book shows Heathrow-Winnipeg-Los Angeles in a 707, then transferring to a VC-10 and flying Los Angeles-Honolulu-Fiji-Sydney in December 1973. The return in January 1974 was Sydney-Fiji-Honolulu-Los Angeles-New York in a VC-10, then transfer to a 747 for New York-Heathrow.
Was this flag flying in both east and west directions a throwback to Empire days and the desire to have a worldwide presence? Or was there genuine corporate thinking behind it in order to pull in business from as many stops as possible along the way?