The not-so-long goodbye: Airport puts time limit on hugs

New Zealand's Dunedin Airport has put a three-minute time limit on hugs. — Image credit: AP Images

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Saying goodbye isn’t always easy, but one airport is saying goodbye to long farewells. Dunedin Airport in New Zealand has posted new signs in its drop-off lanes, putting a time limit on hugs.

The airport is asking people using the lanes to keep their hugs, and therefore their goodbyes, to three minutes or less.

The change is getting mixed reviews on social media, but airport officials say it’s their more lighthearted way to cut down on traffic compared to some other airports around the world that threaten wheel clamping or fines for drivers parked in drop-off areas.

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“That’s a long hug. I tell you what, you get a lot of oxytocin and serotonin out of a three-minute hug. Twenty seconds is all we need,” said the airport’s CEO Dan De Bono. “We don’t have hug police, not yet anyway. And if people overextend their hugging time, that’s ok. But really the message here is getting it front of mind for people to kind of help create space for others to drop off and also have their hugs.”

The new signs point those looking to draw out their farewells to the parking area, where they can hug for up to 15 minutes before parking fees kick in.

Shea Taylor (Producer) and Jack Henry (Video Editor) contributed to this report.

Tags: Airport, Economy, New Zealand, Pacific Ocean, Tourism

[Craig Nigrelli]

SAYING GOODBYE ISN’T ALWAYS EASY… BUT ONE AIRPORT IS SAYING GOODBYE… TO LONG GOODBYES.

DUNEDIN AIRPORT IN NEW ZEALAND HAS POSTED NEW SIGNS IN THEIR DROP-OFF LANES… PUTTING A TIME LIMIT ON HUGS.

THEY’RE ASKING PEOPLE USING THE LANES TO KEEP THEIR HUGS – AND THEREFORE THEIR GOODBYES – TO THREE MINUTES OR LESS.

THE CHANGE IS GETTING MIXED REVIEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA… BUT AIRPORT OFFICIALS SAY IT’S THEIR MORE LIGHTHEARTED WAY CUT DOWN ON TRAFFIC COMPARED TO SOME OTHER AIRPORTS AROUND THE WORLD THAT THREATEN WHEEL CLAMPING OR FINES FOR DRIVERS PARKED IN DROP-OFF AREAS.

Dan De Bono | Dunedin Airport Chief Executive Officer

“That’s a long hug. I tell you what, you get a lot of oxytocin and serotonin out of a three-minute hug. Twenty seconds is all we need.”

“We don’t have hug police, not yet anyway. And if people overextend their hugging time, that’s ok. But really the message here is getting it front of mind for people to kind of help create space for others to drop off and also have their hugs.”

THE NEW SIGNS POINT THOSE LOOKING TO DRAW OUT THEIR FAREWELLS TO THE PARKING AREA – WHERE THEY CAN HUG FOR UP TO 15 MINUTES BEFORE PARKING FEES KICK IN.