Tax & other charges with QF award flight on EK vs CX from DXB

[featheast]

Was about to make a booking from DXB - HKG using QF points for 2 Adults and 1 kid of the coming new year. Plenty of availability so on that front all is good.
However, just found out there are huge differences between tax and other carrier charges between booking with EK or CX.
With EK, it is about $2,000 AUD + 180,000 points
With CX, it is about $465AUD + 195,000 points
There is an $1,500 difference between the 2!

In the meantime, I booked the other leg from HKG - DXB about a month ago with EK for the same 2A1K, it was only ~500AUD for the charges.
Is there anything special about departing from DXB with EK?

 

[opusman]

It'd get you into the EK lounge if you're in J/F, otherwise not really.

 

[aikman]

Is there anything special about departing from DXB with EK?

No. EK has low charges out of HKG but has high charges pretty much everywhere else including out of DXB.

 

[featheast]

OK, so I might have to go with CX, not that I don't like CX, but travelling with a 3-year old toddler with reverse herringbone seats is never my preference. I'd actually love the 2-3-2 EK 777, which most people trying to avoid.

 

[featheast]

Now I looked at it again, if I had booked the flight as a return instead of two one-way tickets, the tax would be significantly cheaper (about $250 for one person for 2 flights).
This is really making me sad, should I just cancel my original booking and rebook the whole flights as return again?
I am worried about the points won't return instantly or soon enough.. and also the availability since it's for 3 people.

 

[featheast]

Another update from myself, I chatted to QF online support, and managed to add the return leg by updating the existing booking. It costs only 5k points for the change fee per head (8k points fee waived because booking business class) plus cash of approx $130.
Lesson learnt today is always booking return instead of one-way tickets if ex-HKG.

 

[trooper]

Doesn't Hong Kong prohibit fuel surcharges?

 

[mannej]

Doesn't Hong Kong prohibit fuel surcharges?

Not any longer

 

[Steveinparadise]

Not any longer

The fees ex HKG still work out cheaper than most other options though, eg ex Shanghai the fees are much higher.