As per the quote in your first post: "When redeeming British Airways Avios, they impose whatever fuel surcharges the operating carrier would impose on a revenue ticket."
Although this should really be the 'taxes, fees and surcharges', which as I posted above is around £170 one way.
US Airways for an award flight does not charge the taxes, fees and surcharges of an equivalent revenue flight and only passes on the taxes and fees of about £20.
OK, I thought the fees would be the same for an award ticket... It's pretty slick of BA to charge the fees that US would charge on a revenue ticket. How is it that US is not imposing the same fees for an award ticket as they are for a revenue ticket?