New Zealand airport puts 3-minute time limit on hugs in drop-off area

The signs at the Dunedin airport are supposedly alternative to the ones that impose a drop-off fee for drivers parked in the drop-off area.

Airports are a place where people hugging each other is a common sight, whether it be as joyful hi's or tearful bye's. However, New Zealand's Dunedin airport wants you to hasten those moments.

According to a report by the Associated Press, Dunedin Airport has put up a sign that says, "Max hug time three minutes,” adding that passengers should move to the parking lot for longer moments.

CEO Dan De Bono told AP that the cuddle cap was imposed in September on the redesigned passenger drop-off area. By doing so, they wanted to “keep things moving smoothly.”

Thre minutes are “plenty of time to pull up, say farewell to your loved ones and move on,” he said, adding “The time limit is really a nicer way of saying, you know, get on with it.”

AP quoted him saying, “We were accused of breaching basic human rights and how dare we limit how long someone can have a hug for,” referring to reactions on social media while adding that many agreed with them.

The signs are supposedly alternative to the ones that impose a drop-off fee for drivers parked in the drop-off area.

While the rule has been posted around the drop-off area, it isn't strictly enforced. “We do not have hug police,” De Bono told AP.

Dunedin, an island in South New Zealand, has a population of 135,000 people.