Travelers staggered by Cuba's new customs taxes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sept. 3, 2012: Juan, a Cuban-American man who did not want to give his last name, arrives with packages after getting off a flight from the U.S. at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. (AP)
A steep hike in customs duties in Cuba is catching some air travelers unaware and leaving others irate at the new fees.
Nelida Diaz is a Cuban-American who often travels back to the island to see family. She says she was shocked when officials charged her $588 at customs.
Diaz says "they had never charged us like that" before.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Travelers are allowed to bring in 66 pounds of miscellaneous goods without being charged. Everything after that gets taxed at $4.55 a pound.
The new import taxes were announced two months ago. But many passengers at Havana's international airport Monday said they were taken by surprise.