This airport in New Zealand has set a 3-minute time limit for hugs. Here's why

The sign outside the Dunedin Airport in New Zealand. (Image credit: @zappawaddawadda/X)

The Dunedin Airport in New Zealand has implemented a three-minute time limit for goodbye hugs at its passenger drop-off area sparking a flurry of polarised reactions. The quirky new rule, introduced in September, aims to prevent prolonged farewells from creating traffic congestion, with airport officials urging travellers to keep their goodbyes brief.

Signs outside the airport now read, "Max hug time three minutes," alerting passengers to the unusual time cap. Those who wish for longer, more emotional farewells are advised to move to the parking lot, where hugs can last up to 15 minutes, free of charge. "For fonder farewells please use the car park," the sign concluded.

The airport's management said the decision was made to ensure smoother operations in the drop-off zone, where lingering embraces had previously caused hold-ups.

"We wanted to keep things moving smoothly in the redesigned passenger drop-off area," Dan De Bono, CEO of Dunedin Airport, told The Associated Press. "The zone is meant for quick farewells, and this policy was our way of reminding people about that."

De Bono acknowledges the move did not go down too well and that some users are accusing the airport of infringing on personal freedoms. "We were accused of breaching basic human rights and told off for limiting how long someone can have a hug for," he noted, though he pointed out that others welcomed the change as a sensible solution to a minor problem.

The airport’s approach stands in contrast to more severe measures at other international terminals, where hefty fines or wheel clamping await drivers who linger in drop-off zones. Some airports in Britain, for instance, have even introduced fees for all drop-offs, regardless of the time spent.

"Three minutes is plenty of time to pull up, say your goodbyes, and move on," De Bono remarked. "It’s really just a nicer way of saying, get on with it.”

Despite the humour surrounding the move, airport officials insist the time limit serves a practical purpose. De Bono explained that a 20-second hug is enough to release the mood-boosting hormones oxytocin and serotonin. "Anything longer starts to feel really awkward," he joked.

For those worried about strict enforcement, there’s no need to panic. "We do not have hug police," De Bono assured, though travellers lingering too long might be asked to shift their cuddles to the parking area, where they are welcome to embrace for as long as they like—within the 15-minute free window.

Social media was not impressed with many slamming the move. "And you think they're not out to control you?" one user wrote on X sharing a picture of the sign. Another joked: "Who says romance is dead? Sign at New Zealand's Dunedin Airport: "The toddlers of New Zealand will not be happy about this rule at Dunedin Airport."

Dunedin airport serves a city of just 1,35,000 people.