Hoping to lighten traffic congestion, Dunedin Airport in New Zealand implemented a time limit of three minutes for hugs in its drop-off zone.
Dan De Bono, the airport's chief executive, said it's more than enough time to activate the happy hormones released after a good hug, according to The Washington Post.
De Bono attempted an experiment to prove his point Tuesday morning by going in for a three-minute hug in front of an audience of airport staff. After 20 seconds, things grew a little awkward, he said, but resisted the urge to pull away.
"I'm not a big hugger. Twenty seconds tops for me," he said.
Dunedin is often hailed as the "Edinburgh of the South" for its stone castles and cold winters. The residents, however, are more open to showing affection than their Scottish ancestors. As De Bono noted, locals greet visitors with a "warm southern welcome" as they enjoy the area's landscapes.
The airport services a university town of some 135,000 people. While it's no match for the larger international airports — it attracts fewer than 1 million passengers a year — the traffic can still build up at peak times, De Bono told the Post. The hug-limit plan was a way of reinforcing safety in the drop-off zone, such as preventing dangerous maneuvers amid frustration over traffic.
Initially, the move received negative attention, but since the story broke, the criticism has lessened, with many noting that according to global standards, a three-minute hug is generous. Others pointed out that some airports levy large fines for stopping even briefly in drop-off zones.
Currently, Dunedin Airport has no plans to strictly enforce the time limit, but a sign in the drop zone advises visitors to use it for "fonder farewells."
Those needing a longer embrace always have the car park and inside the terminal, where the time limit on hugs is not capped. And the rule is more lenient during off-peak times, during which the airport would turn a blind eye to long huggers in the drop-off area.
"Between flights, you could have a 20-minute hug, and no one is going to notice," De Bono said.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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