WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A New Zealand airport now says goodbye hugs at the drop-off zone should last no longer than three minutes! This unique rule at Dunedin Airport was meant to keep traffic moving but quickly went viral.
“To keep things running smoothly, we set a ‘Max hug time 3 minutes’ sign,” explained Daniel De Bono, the airport’s CEO. “Don’t worry — even a 20-second hug releases feel-good hormones, so three minutes is plenty!”
For anyone needing a longer hug, the airport offers 15 free minutes in the car park.
While some people found the rule funny, others were a bit surprised. “Hug Police!? That’s a bit odd!” one commenter posted on Facebook.
The hug rule actually started in September, but only recently did it spark such big global attention, said airport spokesperson Sarah Soper.
