Perhaps I am wrong, but I think airlines are now (or even have been) "disguising" fare increases as fuel surcharges. To me, anything other than actual taxes go to the airline, thus the fuel surcharges also go right to the airline's bottom line. I guess they can always break the "fare" down to its components--labor surcharges (for when pilots/FAs/GAs clamor for raises), capital investment surcharges (for when new aircrafts/refurbishments are needed), etc.

LAX