SOME taxis are holding back from joining the queues at Changi Airport just before 5pm on weekends so that they can collect the higher surcharges which kick in after that time.

BIDING THEIR TIME 'We wave at them to come forward but some just ignore us and stay put.' A coordinator at Terminal 3, who did not want to be named, on cabbies who were waiting for the higher surcharges to kick in at 5pm ... more

Taxi coordinators at each of the three main airport terminal taxi stands say they have noticed the flow of taxis slowing to a trickle between 4.45pm and 5pm.

Said a coordinator at Terminal 3, who did not want to be named: 'We wave at them to come forward but some just ignore us and stay put.'

There are two coordinators at each terminal directing taxis from a waiting line into vehicle bays in front of the queues.

From 5pm to midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, passengers pay an airport surcharge of $5. At other times, it is $3.

From 5pm to 8pm from Mondays to Saturdays, taxis also get a 35per cent peak-hour surcharge on top of the metered fare.

This means a fare of $9 after 5pm on a Friday or Saturday, plus the 35per cent surcharge and $5 airport surcharge, would become $17.15.

A Straits Times check at Terminal 2 yesterday found the queue, at least 20-deep at any time, moving smoothly until 4.55pm.

Suddenly, there were no taxis in the waiting bays and loud honking could be heard from the line of cabs, as a number of them slowed down and started taking their time to pull into the bays. They were overtaken by others, and by 5pm, the smooth flow of taxis was restored.

Cabby Abdul Karim, who has been plying the roads for almost a year, can understand why some cabbies do it.

Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.