The principal technical officer in charge of airfield lighting systems at Changi Airport says his department may soon be rescheduling its monthly seven-hour Saturday afternoon maintenance of the two runways to after midnight instead, when air traffic is 2) _________ .
The unsavoury new hours good news for 3) __________ business in Singapore.
"4) _________ runways have to be in operation to cater to the increase in the number of flights taking off and 5) __________," he says.
The airport has seen a steady increase of passengers from 30.4 million in 2004, about the time when budget 6) __________ were introduced, to 37.2 million last year.
According to the Changi Airport Group, the airport 7) __________ 3.62 million passengers in June this year, an 8) ________ of 18.6 percent compared 9) __________ the same month last year.
The 10) _________ the increase in tourist numbers, the greater the squeeze for airport staff in all departments - and the 11) __________ the coffee breaks.
The airport's deputy commander for counter terrorism and security Dominic Chua says the monthly average of the number of passengers - both 12) __________ and departing - cleared by his Immigration and Checkpoint Authority officers has risen 13) ___________ 12.5 percent to 2.7 million this year.
"There have been a lot of people traveling to regional destinations and they buy unique items that are illegal as souvenirs," he says.
The off-peak periods are also much shorter now. The airport is usually at its busiest 14) _________ 6 and 10am and from 5pm onwards.
In addition, Mr Rick Lye, Changi Control Tower's air traffic control manager, says the increase in the number of take-offs and landings, 15) __________ for budget airlines, can be felt even during periods that usually see fewer flights.
-Adapted from: The Straits Times, 17th August 2010
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