Rumors to the contrary notwithstanding, the official word from our long-standing correspondent at Cathay/CMB is that there is not and has not been a 3% surcharge for credit card purchases. There is a LKR2100 fee (USD20, approx) courier fee to deliver the tickets (any number of them) from the CTO where the printers are to the airport. I'm not sure what the others paid, but I don't doubt they had a 3% item on their bill for something. $20 is nothing like 3% of USD7000+, obviously. But the lady has spoken. If there's a surcharge, it will be hidden in the taxes and fuel surcharges.

BTW, she's leaving CMB for Oz at the end of the month, although she assures me that we'll still have good hands to look after us.