New Zealand is no place for long, tearful goodbyes. At least if you’re at Dunedin International Airport in the Otago region of the South Island. Although only one million passengers pass through the runways each year, well below the traffic recorded at Auckland, Christchurh and Wellington airports, Dunedin authorities have recently launched a plan designed to improve fluidity at the departure terminal. And among their measures is one that is causing a stir: regulating the maximum length of time a hug can last.

They believe three minutes is more than enough.

Somewhere in Otago… Dunedin International Airport is valuable infrastructure for the Otago region in southern New Zealand. From here you can fly to other terminals around the country, such as Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch, and it serves the city from which it takes its name. But it doesn’t usually make big headlines. At least not like these days when the name attracts attention. GuardCNN or Times.

And all this for something as mundane and boring as a new airport plan aimed at speeding up passenger flows and preventing traffic congestion. So… Why did half the planet start talking about what was going on in distant Dunedin?

hugging issue. For one of the points of the plan. In addition to redesigning the airport organization and relocating the area where passengers will disembark, New Zealand airport officials also took precautions to ensure that farewells do not become prolonged and hinder the passage.

How do they want to achieve this? Putting limits on them. Like? Posters calling on terminal users not to hug each other too tightly for 180 seconds, no matter how emotional the moment is, no matter how tense their nerves, no matter how much they will miss the departing passenger. So three minutes.

Emotions for parking lot. The message the airport sends could not be more emphatic. “Maximum hug time is three minutes. Use the parking lot for more loving goodbyes,” the sign implores. Not everyone thought this was a good idea. In fact, the initiative sparked a furious debate on Facebook between supporters and detractors. Like it or not, one thing is clear: It’s not common for airports to regulate hug time.

Terminal manager Daniel De Bono knows this and so wanted to explain why in an interview on RNZ. As the discussion grew and the incident escalated, the airport released a statement on the issue.

“Seedbeds of emotions”. De Bono recalled that airports often become “dens of emotion” and that over the years Dunedin staff have “seen interesting things” but what the terminal with the signage is looking for is to comfortably expedite passenger traffic.

The airport won’t have security guards dedicated to timing every display of affection, but yes, De Bono acknowledged that he may ask users to move to the parking lot if their goodbyes take forever and impede the passage of other passengers. “We’re not here to tell people how long they should hold each other, it’s more of a message of please move on and leave room for others.”

It’s not all about hugs. This is not the only measure adopted by the New Zealand terminal, which has implemented some significant changes at the organizational level, as well as the placement of posters. For example, you changed your location drop zone “Increasing traffic flow and security in the terminal.” “By moving it, we reduce congestion and make it easier for passengers to disembark safely,” he emphasized.

Among other issues, passengers will no longer have to pass through areas where vehicles are traveling in the opposite direction and will get out of their own vehicles at the curb or in areas where speed is very limited. From Dunedin they also recall that the car park allows you to leave the car for 15 minutes without the expense of picking up or dropping off passengers. If someone needs more time to say goodbye with warm (and lengthy) displays of affection, De Bono recalls: Science has already shown that it takes 20 seconds for a hug to lead to the release of oxytocin.

Pictures | Dunedin Airport and Carlos Coronado (Unsplash)

in Xataka | For years, we have been tying ribbons to suitcases at the airport for identification purposes. Your employees warn that this is a bad idea