Michael SWS
And that's the only thing you should be looking at - how much you are paying to take that flight. The breakdown of taxes, charges and fees is completely irrelevant.
I agree that the bottom line of cost is all that is of relevance. That is the
final, absolute and last bottom line - and there is no quibble with that. I have simply voiced my
irritation but nothing more.
I don't know why you're singling out BA's insurance surcharge, because that is already included in the fare they display on screen. It is not added on afterwards.
I agree but it is
itemised and so they bring it to our attention. From the BA site a few moments ago on a trial booking from their system, this message is accessible:
Insurance & security surcharge
British Airways has a passenger surcharge on all flights for insurance and security. This surcharge applies, as detailed below, to all passengers including children and infants on both international and domestic flights.
For tickets originating in UK: Surcharge per person per BA sector or equivalent £2.50
By telling us that they have added Insurance, they are trying to justify their costs and, actually, all they need to do is - just tell me the cost! If they single out £2.50 of 'insurance and security', I wonder what else they will move into that bucket next week. They are pretending that this £2.50 is nothing to do with them and that I must not be cross with them for charging so much.
What I am saying is that I want the seller to tell me the cost in one single figure. Nothing more added or taken away. I accept, of course, that those days are long gone and everyone will put up whatever low figure they can get away with and I must then go through a booking up to the moment of confirmation - in order to find out what it will cost. Irritating!!
This is superbly illustrated by
newswatcher's comparison. BA like to pretend that their fares are low and just hope that, once into the booking sequence, the potential pax will stay with them. That is their decision on how to do business. Personally, I find it irritating!
As an afterthought, when BA & AA do merge, they are going to have to agree on whose pricing strategy to use!