Dunedin Airport in New Zealand has set a three-minute time limit on goodbye hugs at its drop-off area, reports AP.
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The three-minute cuddle cap, according to CEO Dan De Bono, was introduced in September to combat congestive traffic jams at the airport’s outside drop-off area.
A sign outside of the Dunedin Airport terminal reads: “Max hug time three minutes. For fonder goodbyes please use the car park.” Another says: “It’s hard to say goodbye, so make it quick.”
De Bono adds that the change has been welcomed by some, and dubbed a ‘breach of basic human rights’ by others.
At most airports, drop-off zones generally only allow for quick farewells. As AP notes, Dunedin’s “quirky” signs are equivalent to those warning of wheel clamping or fines for drivers parked in drop-off areas.
“The time limit is really a nicer way of saying, you know, get on with it,” says De Bono, adding that a 20-second cuddle is long enough for the wellbeing-boosting hormones oxytocin and serotonin to do their thing. Anything longer is “really awkward,” he says.
If one does happen to pass the three-minute cap while hugging a loved one goodbye at Dunedin Airport, they will not be accosted by the ‘cuddle police’ says De Bono. Instead, they may be asked to move to the parking lot, where cuddles can be enjoyed for up to fifteen minutes.
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