New Zealand Airport introduces ‘inhumane’ time limit on hugs for travelers saying goodbye to loved ones

This is one change passengers aren’t embracing.

A New Zealand airport has sparked global outrage after implementing a three-minute limit on hugs in its drop-off zone, advising travelers with a sour new sign: “For fonder farewells please use the car park.”

Photos of the sign showcasing the Dunedin Airport’s newest rule to combat congestion in the terminal took off online, with some Facebook users slamming the “inhumane” limit on travelers’ allotted time to say goodbye to loved ones.

“You can’t put a time limit on hugs! that’s inhumane,” one person wrote.

A New Zealand airport has sparked global outrage after placing a three-minute limit on hugs in its drop-off zone. Dunedin Airport

Another chimed in: “I love it. It shows warmth and compassion. My local airport it would be ‘you can’t stop there’ – there’s a £100 fine if you stop and a minimum £5.00 to drop someone off in the drop-off zone. I love Nice airport – they have ‘Kiss and Fly.'”

Others also joined in poking fun at the odd new rule, with one person writing, “I can see the airport worker now… 2:56, 2:57, 2:58, 2:59 OK time to break it up!”

Another joked, “In America, they don’t even want you to stop. Just come to a slow roll and push your passenger out.”

The airport noted in a sign that travelers can have “fonder farewells” in the parking lot. Jacob Lund – stock.adobe.com

The airport, for its part, wrote online that it redesigned its drop-off zone to improve safety and congestion around the terminal.

Dunedin Airport CEO Daniel De Bono told New Zealand’s RNZ radio the change was made due to space considerations.

“There’s only so much space we have in that drop-off area and too many people are spending too much time on their fonder farewells in the drop-off area. There’s no space for others.”

De Bono then mentioned a study that suggests a measly 20-second hug is enough to get the oxytocin and serotonin release people get from hugging.

“We’re not here to tell people how long they should hug for. It’s more a message of, ‘Please move onwards.’ If you’re going to spend however long, sit in the car park. You get 15 minutes free and it provides space for others who only want a 20-second hug,” he added.