A New Zealand airport has limited hugs in its landing zone to a maximum of three minutes – anyone wanting a longer goodbye was told to head to the car park.
Dunedin International Airport, on of New Zealand The South Island announced the rule change last month as part of a wider effort to improve safety and keep traffic flowing in the area, local media reported.
Signs went up informing people sending their loved ones off that the new rule was “Maximum hug time three minutes” or “It’s hard to say goodbye, so do it quickly. Maximum 3 minutes’.
They replaced previous signs that only reminded drivers that cars left unattended risked being towed and charged NZ$70. things reported.
The airport’s chief executive, Daniel De Bono, told Radio New Zealand (RNZ) that airports were “hotbeds of emotion” and cited research that found a 20-second hug was long enough to release oxytocin, “the love hormone “.
He said moving passengers quickly allows more people to get more hugs.
Mr De Bono said part of the reason for the cuddling cap was that “our team has seen interesting things happen … over the years”.
One of the posted signs states that anyone wanting a “gentle farewell” should head to the parking lot, where a free 15-minute visit is allowed.
Mr De Bono told RNZ they were trying to have fun with the announcement, adding it had “caused quite a stir, we’re having quite a few conversations”.
Reaction on social media has been mixed.
One user called it “inhuman”, while another described it as “the most nanny I’ve ever seen”.
Still others wondered if airport officials would “hire people for loving families so they can regulate when love is enough?”
However, another person asked “isn’t three minutes enough to hug someone?”
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Dunedin is one of the southernmost cities in the world. Photo: iStock
Dunedin, in the south-east of the island, is one of the southernmost cities in the world and home to a population of 134,600 in 2023.
Just over 900,000 passengers used the airport in 2024, according to the annual report.
More than a third of the UK’s major airports have increased their return charges in the past year, according to the RAC.
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