On Mon, 18 Jun 2012 12:22:18 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 11:26:24 on Mon, 18 Jun
2012, Robin remarked:
Thus confirming beyond any reasonable doubt that the £1.10 surcharge
for cash is in fact a "tourist tax".

For only some values of reasonable as there is also the explanation that
TfL wished to maintain the general message that travel is cheaper with
an Oyster Card.

But this travel isn't the normal "always touch in" kind of Oyster, it's
one of those rare "Oyster PAYG electronic money paying for a third-ish
party service".

In what sense is it a third-party service? Emirates are sponsoring
the branding, but are they at all involved in running it?