Originally Posted by
ft543
This is par for the course with BA awards originating from the US. Between APD and "carrier imposed charges," BA awards are typically a poor value.
I think originating from the EU cuts down on the carrier imposed charges, and APD can be avoided if you transit LHR for less than 24 hours, or start/end from INV or ABZ.
BA already has high costs but Alaska somehow finds it in their heart to make teh charge even higher .... if you can find the same flight on Cathay miles you usually pay less surcharges.