How do you tell if you will be hit with a surcharge or not? If I am quoted $X for a fight between A and B, is it all will pay or will I be hit for more at the airport?

Airlines definitely hedge fuel costs and they can hedge for several months ahead. They can lock in prices for a year's worth of aviation fuel. All airlines certainly did it when prices were low-they were fools not to. Lufthansa has publicly admitted that its hedging was so successful that it has not had to add a surcharge. Someone mentioned previuosly that airlines lose the benefit of hedging when prices fall. This can be true. Airlines can certainly buy options beting that prices will fall and they they do make money. Even if prices fall, the cost of hedging is slight when compared to a big rise in fuel costs with no hedging in place. The price of fuel may be catching up with the hedging now-it just depends on how much the airlines hedged when prices were gradually rising.

Once you authorize a payment of $X using your credit card for an airline ticket, that's it. Fuel surcharges (or any surcharge or fare change, for that matter) cannot be added later.