Well, folks, it looks like Dunedin Airport in New Zealand has taken the art of hugging and turned it into a timed Olympic event. That’s right, this small airport at the bottom of the South Island has implemented a hugging limit—three minutes max in the drop-off zone. So, the next time you’re feeling extra emotional about saying goodbye, you better squeeze all that love into 180 seconds or less.
Three minutes? To hug? It’s almost laughable—until you realize that most airports don’t give you the luxury of a long goodbye at all. In the U.S., you’re lucky if you don’t get honked at while you’re tossing someone’s luggage out of the car. One user on social media captured it perfectly: “In America, they don’t even want you to stop. Just come to a slow roll and push your passenger out.” Accurate. You can practically hear the stress-induced beeping already.
Cuddle time capped: Airport puts a 3-minute limit on goodbye hugs https://t.co/NfovL3VUWc
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) October 21, 2024
But here we are, in Dunedin, where airport staff decided to put a hug timer on goodbyes in an effort to manage traffic. Apparently, people in New Zealand’s southern city are so affectionate that they’re clogging up the drop-off zone with endless embraces. And yes, this is a real thing. The airport’s CEO, Dan De Bono, even tested it out himself, going the full three-minute quota in front of staff. His review? “A little awkward after 20 seconds.” No kidding. Most of us top out at a casual five-second hug unless it’s a grandparent—then maybe you stretch it to ten. But a full three minutes? That’s a commitment.
A new three-minute time limit on goodbye hugs in the airport’s drop-off area is intended to prevent lingering cuddles from causing traffic jams.
READ: https://t.co/DMSgF2CHKj pic.twitter.com/oqUrBE3DEM
— Manila Bulletin News (@manilabulletin) October 22, 2024
The backlash to the hug limit was inevitable, with some calling it “inhumane.” But as the story made its way around the globe, the criticism started to soften. After all, three minutes is pretty generous compared to what most people deal with at airports around the world. In the U.K., for example, some airports charge you fines for simply stopping too long in the drop-off zone. Now that’s cold, even for British standards. At least Dunedin’s got a sign offering longer goodbyes in the car park, hilariously labeled for “fonder farewells.”
A three-minute hug limit? That’s some serious efficiency! Hope no one’s in a rush for extra cuddles!
— Faran Bashir (@Saucy_Engineer) October 22, 2024
How do I get a job as a Hug Cop?
— 🇺🇲 Jason LS 🇺🇲 (@JasonLS1776) October 22, 2024
But don’t worry—De Bono says they won’t be sending out any “hug police” with stopwatches. So, unless you’re really going overboard with the extended embrace, you’ll probably be fine. Heck, during off-peak times, De Bono even joked you could have a 20-minute hug, and no one would notice. But let’s be honest: If you’re out there hugging someone for 20 minutes, you’ve got bigger issues than an airport time limit.
🇳🇿 🫂 ✈️ At the #Dunedin #airport in #NewZealand, a three-minute limit has been imposed on #hugs at its drop-off zone.
The measure has gone viral on social media. Listen in to the airport’s CEO explaining the reasoning behind the move ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/br6pghuCGo
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) October 22, 2024
So, while the French may boast their five-minute “Kiss and Fly” zones (because, of course, they do), Dunedin is keeping things Kiwi casual. Three minutes to hug, plenty of parking for the extra clingy, and a story that’s now become a global sensation. Just another day in the world of airport etiquette.
