Airport's New ‘Hug Time’ Limit Sparks Debate: ‘Is Nothing Sacred?’

Mar. 15, 2025

Dunedin Airport drop-off zone sign.Photo:Dunedin Airport

Dunedin Airport

A New Zealand airport has sparked quite the debate over its new “max hug time” signage at its drop-off zone.

Dunedin Airport.Alamy

Alamy

The airport’s CEO, Daniel De Bono, explains the reason for the new signs in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

“We’ve recently relocated our drop-off zone to improve safety and traffic flow at Dunedin Airport. To keep things moving smoothly, we’ve installed new signage, including the ‘Max hug time 3 minutes’ sign,” De Bono says. “It’s our way of being a little quirky and reminding people that the drop-off zone is for quick farewells.”

Couple hugging at an airport.Getty

Getty

De Bono also spoke about the messaging during an interview withRadio New Zealand(RNZ), in which he explained that the signs were designed with “a little bit of fun” in mind since airport drop-off locations “can be quite intense.”

He then acknowledged that the signage has “caused quite a stir” as people are not happy being told “how long we can have a hug for,” he says.

Despite the backlash, the CEO notes, “There’s only so much space we have in that drop-off area. Too many people are spending too much time with their fonder farewells in the drop-off zone and there’s no space for others.”

Violators will be asked to “politely move on to the car park” where they can say a longer farewell, De Bono adds. “It’s nothing more than that, we’re not going to call the hug police. That would be bonkers.”

The new signs went viral in aFacebook postshared on Oct. 9, in which many commenters expressed their outraged opinions.

Another user joked, “At first I thought there would be a subscription service you needed to pay to be allowed to hug for longer.”

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Some then jumped in to compare the new rule to their experience in the United States.

One said, “You’d never see that at an American airport! 3 minutes?? MOVE IT ALONG!!!”

Another added, “You get 3 minutes to hug?? In America, they don’t even want you to stop. Just come to a slow roll and push your passenger out. I’m serious.”

source: people.com