Not sure if this has been suggested before but let me know what you think about this idea...
Let's say you are an airline based in Dubai and you want to add a route between Bangkok and Hong Kong without going to Dubai. Obviously you cannot do that now because it is completely out of your country. But what if there is an option in the Route Management page that says "enter open skies agreement". You pay a monthly tax and you can add flights between Bangkok and Hong Kong without touching Dubai. Not sure though, what do you think we do with the airlines based in Hong Kong and Thailand if they can fly to the UAE without touching their own country?
So this way you can create foreign hubs like Delta in Tokyo or Amsterdam, or Qantas in Dubai. All for a relatively large fee to prevent it becoming like an open world. It should be expensive enough that only large airlines can participate effectively.
This is different from adding stopovers because it lets you transport passengers between two foreign cities without going back to your native country.
Some things it would be useful for:
1. When cargo comes into AE since FedEx and UPS have many foreign hubs.
2. Countries where it is difficult to grow an airline will have an opportunity to increase air service.
3. High demand routes that are difficult to serve with nonstop flights.
4. Under-served countries or airports.
Cheers