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UNUSUAL
New Zealand airport bans hugs for more than 3 minutes in the arrivals area
A sign was placed at the terminal with the warning
Published on October 21, 2024 at 10:00

Hug at the airport Credit: Shutterstock
The international airport in Dunedin, a city in New Zealand, created a three-minute limit on hugs to maintain the flow of passengers and cars in the airport’s arrivals area. A sign posted at the site warns: “Maximum hug time: 3 minutes. For warmer goodbyes, please use the parking lot.” The information comes from CNN and The Guardian newspaper.
In a viral Facebook post, some comments expressed outrage at the time limit for hugs. Others were surprised that the airport still offers a free arrivals area and praised the move as many airports are introducing arrivals area fees.
‘There’s no room for others’
For New Zealand’s RNZ radio, Dunedin Airport CEO Daniel De Bono mentioned a study that suggests a 20-second hug is enough to release the “love hormone,” oxytocin. He says the rule means more people will receive hugs, as the flow of passengers is expected to become faster.
He also commented that warning messages in airport arrival zones can be “pretty harsh”, including threats to block car wheels or impose fines, and that the airport wants to avoid this.
“We’re trying to have fun with it. It’s an airport, and these arrivals areas are common places for goodbyes,” De Bono told RNZ. He said many people were taking too long in the arrivals area. “There’s no room left for others,” he said. “It’s about allowing other people to give their hugs too.”
De Bono said the airport will not have a special team of “hug police” to enforce the rule, but that employees can politely ask people who are taking too long to move to the parking lot.
“We’re not here to say how long people should hug, it’s more the message of please move on and make space for others,” he said.
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