Real taxes are the same for all carriers.
Never confuse real taxes and carrier imposed surcharges (= profit)

The YQ/YR collection from AA for other carriers does apply to RTW tickets. The biggest addition was with MH; they have crazy high fuel surcharges.

As does QF

I believe you best bet is still AA. Certainly I'm getting charged plenty less on top of the base fare for an ex South Africa itin compared with the online tool (which I imagine was ticketing via BA).

TO find out actual taxes AA will charge I think you'll just need to call the RTW desk and get it priced.

So when ticketing with AA it's BA, MH and QF that impose substantial surcharges that AA will need to add/collect? Any others?

Aside, I was pleasantly surprised to be able to book an IB code share for MRU-LGW and thus avoid surcharges despite it being a BA flight.

[off topic] AA collecting surcharges

As far as I aware AA does not collect surcharges for an AA award or an AA issued xONEx on a QF flight.
AA do charge surcharges for AA awards on BA/IB flights as often discussed on the AA forum.
This is one reason why AA is generally a better FFP than QF & BA.

[/off topic]

I've been able to save large amounts on surcharges over the last few years by using IB and MH codes on BA and AY flights in Europe.

IB code on JNB-LHR is a good money saver, too.

Regardless of which option I take, will I be permitted to make the intermediate point (eg. DOH if I go HKG-DOH-JED) a stopover, or will I be restricted to making that point strictly a transit only?

CX's responsibility is to protect you from its schedule change, by getting you from HKG to JED. Had you chosen to stopover in DXB, then its responsibility would be to get you from DXB to JED.
So CX could (rightly) refuse to allow a stopover at the intermediate point. But it is free to allow it, if it chooses to be nice to you.

A factor in its decision might be whether you've had your two allowed stopovers in Europe/Middle East (which is your 'continent of origin' right?).

Interesting, thank you.

I'm travelling SSH-AMM-DME-xDOH-IAH . . .

I received an automated revised itinerary from CX a few days ago. I had been re-routed HKG-xDOH-JED on QR. I was booked into Y on the last segment, a two-class flight, which is pathetic as the oneworld Explorer rules clearly dictate First in these circumstances.

I got straight on the phone to CX and got an agent who (a) couldn't pronounce "Doha" and (b) didn't know what the abbreviation "QR" represented. His naivety turned out being helpful. I asked to be routed HKG-xLHR-JED instead - and succeeded.

The ticket has been reissued. I'll wait and see if it sticks.

Hi, sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.

I have booked 3 x DONE4 routing LON - HKG - AKL - LAX - LON. Two of my colleagues are travelling after me. I am travelling ahead of them to explore HKG and NZ. I have paid for all three tickets on 2 separate bookings. The page after payment says that while the card holder needn't travel, the card needs to be presented. As when my colleagues leave a week after me, I will already be in NZ, how do I cover this? Do i give their booking reference when I check in?

Secondly, when does the issuing airline actually take payment and issue etickets? I have had confirmations for both bookings, but can't see etickets for them.

Thanks in advance

Edited to add detail - First booking for my colleagues was made 3rd Feb, mine was booked today.

You'll need to contact the first airline as to what their requirements are in respect of sighting the payment credit card. You may have to visit their London office before you travel to get the other 2 tickets vetted.

As for ticketing this can take a few days. Did you provide your email address or the passengers' email address?

Thanks.

I called Cathay who have forced through the ticketing as it was still in the queue. They processed mine first which made my colleagues' tickets get declined on the credit card due to my credit card putting a security block on. Will have to sort out on Monday.

As far as the credit card is concerned, they have told me to print off the etickets for my colleagues and present them when I check in along with my credit card. The other option was filling in a form and sending it back - suspect the former will be the easiest way.

Thanks again.