The sign indicating the farewell time at Dunedin Airport in New Zealand caused a stir. (IMAGE: X/@zappawaddawadda)
Signs at New Zealand’s Dunedin International Airport also direct fliers to the parking lot if they want to engage in farewells.
Long goodbyes at a New Zealand airport may soon result in staff asking to take your goodbye gesture to the car park in case your hugs go on too long.
Dunedin International Airport in the island nation’s South Island has introduced a three-minute cuddling limit. This was announced by the airport authorities to the news agency RNZ that the signs are in place to improve safety and maintain a smooth flow of traffic in the airport’s landing areas.
“Maximum hug time (is) 3 minutes. For a gentler farewell, please use the parking lot,” the sign warns.
However, Dunedin Airport chief executive Dan de Bono told the New Zealand broadcaster Radio New Zealand (RNZ) that they wanted to have fun with the caption.
He said the airport wanted to avoid warning messages in airport landing zones, which can be “quite intense”, with some even threatening wheel clamps or fines.
“We try to have fun with it. This is an airport and these landing sites are common places for farewells,” De Bono was quoted as saying RNZ.
He pointed out that too many people spend too much time in the drop-off area.
“There is no room left for others. It’s about letting others have hugs,” he said. He also highlighted that some used the area to engage in “last-minute acts of love”.
“Airports are hotbeds of emotion … our staff have seen some interesting things over the years,” he added.
De Bono said there would be no “hug cops” patrolling airport grounds, but airport staff could politely ask those lingering too long to move to the parking lot, adding that the new signs are “caused quite a stir”. “We’re not here to tell people how long to hug, it’s more of a message of ‘Please move on and make room for others,'” he added.
Critics of a widely viewed Facebook post that garnered tens of thousands of comments challenged the airport’s stance on limiting the length of farewells. One user described the rule as “inhumane”, arguing that the airport should not control how long people are allowed to hug.
Some praised the airport’s approach, especially when many airports around the world are introducing return fees.
 3 minutes. For fonder farewells please use the car park,” the signage warns.){kind=link}