Unfortunately, the multiple fees and the runaround are common in much of the world. Government believes they have to “control” things like aviation–to the point where people DO boycott the country. The airlines also have to knuckle under for the fees and paperwork–fortunately, they pass the fees on to the customer, and they “have people to take care of the paperwork.”
The U.S. is GETTING that way–more and more regs that serve no purpose, and more and more paperwork and “though shalt not” bureaucracy–witness the compounding bureaucracy–the stifling of the industry (enough that the U.S. has lost its title of “Aircraft manufacturer for the world”–and the numerous fees just for the “privilege” of landing in a city or patronizing a business.
In the past, people (including pilots) would have refused to knuckle under. Today, it’s the same gesture as the rest of the world–“What are ya’ gonna’ DO?” (pockets turned out and hands up?"