To the OP same exact thing happened to me.
Tried to book an AC ticket.
Sounds like deja vu even with the charges and refunds.
I think there is an issue with AC calculation of taxes and so computer will not issue the ticket even with payment submitted. That's my guess. I figured that out cause when I ran it through iata the charges were too cheap and one time a good agent said he needed to send it to sales to be finalized.

Well when he finalized the taxes we're higher but the crazy call center messed it up again and reverted back to old price so I gave up. I think clean transactions via call center are only for simple united flights maybe?

Well anyway I gave up. Prob going to write off the miles. So frustrating. I don't mind difficult but I do mind senseless, inefficient and silly.