Originally Posted by
grinna
Taxes were signif. more expensive than appeared on the AA website for the same flights, but it had got to the stage where I didn't even care anymore and just wanted to make the booking so didn't question it! Any idea why the tax difference for the same flights though?
Real taxes on award flights are the same for all airlines for the same route and class. A surcharge can trigger additional real taxes if the flight changes from a non revenue flight to a revenue flight.
A "carrier imposed surcharge", as QF & BA apply on awards, goes direct to the airline (=profit). A "carrier imposed surcharge" is not a tax. Those who mix taxes and surcharges and consider surcharges as taxes are being take as fools by the airline (they like it that way)
.