Griffis International Airport Will Build U.S. Customs Office
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: December 21, 2012
Griffiss International Airport of Rome is about to actually become
international. Premier Aviation and MidAir USA are two aircraft
maintenance companies at Griffiss. They both service planes flying in
from other countries.
Having no regular customs office at the airport has become a costly problem, as planes would have to land somewhere else first before coming to Griffiss. The Oneida County Board of Legislators and Griffiss have talked about constructing a U.S. Customs Office at the airport for the last few years. And now, these plans are becoming a reality.
"If we have our own stand alone customs inspection station on site at Griffis, with a custom agent and the ability to have someone for the 7 days a week period that we are operating as an airfield, its very imperative and it enhances what we have and can attract more customer base at Griffiss," says Anthony Picente, Oneida County Executive.
Picente says the customs office will cost about $1.5 million dollars to build. He says construction will begin Spring of 2013. And he expects the new facility to be up and running by October of 2013.
Having no regular customs office at the airport has become a costly problem, as planes would have to land somewhere else first before coming to Griffiss. The Oneida County Board of Legislators and Griffiss have talked about constructing a U.S. Customs Office at the airport for the last few years. And now, these plans are becoming a reality.
"If we have our own stand alone customs inspection station on site at Griffis, with a custom agent and the ability to have someone for the 7 days a week period that we are operating as an airfield, its very imperative and it enhances what we have and can attract more customer base at Griffiss," says Anthony Picente, Oneida County Executive.
Picente says the customs office will cost about $1.5 million dollars to build. He says construction will begin Spring of 2013. And he expects the new facility to be up and running by October of 2013.
