U.S. Customs raises airport fees

U.S. Customs raises airport fees    Air couriers and other aircraft operators arriving from international destinations will pay more for fees to land at certain small airports after the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection raised the amount of money it will collect to provide customs services.
   Customs notified certain airports that the annual user fees for processing passengers and cargo entering the United States will go up Oct. 1 to $140,874 from $129,125. The initial fee to apply for Customs service will increase to $123,438 from $115,400.
   User fee airports are ones that do not generate enough business to be designated as an international airport for which customs service is automatically provided. Airports, such as Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, Ariz., or Roswell Industrial Air Center in Roswell, N.M., must reimburse Customs for full-time customs officers and other expenses.
   Airports recover the fee by charging users of the airport a fee. Customs last raised fees one year ago.