Airport passengers warned over new 'inhumane' 'three-minute' restriction

By Christopher Sharp, News Reporter

An airport has introduced rules on hugging at departures (Image: Getty)

An airport in New Zealand has triggered outrage with the introduction of “inhumane” restrictions that put a limit on how long people can hug for at departures.

The separation of family and loved ones from one another at airport departures can be a difficult experience for people; taking varying amounts of time before the inevitable need for one side to catch their flight.

Now, Dunedin Airport on New Zealand’s South Island has erected signs that put a time limit of three minutes on goodbye hugs. The sign, located outside one of the airport buildings, reads: “Max hug time. 3 minutes. For fonder farewells please use the car park.”

Following the installation of the sign there has been backlash as people criticise the new measures that have been reportedly brought in to ease the flow of the traffic through the facility.

A New Zealand airport has sparked global outrage after placing a three-minute limit on hugs in its d (Image: Dunedin Aiport)

On Facebook, one user complained: “You can’t put a time limit on hugs! That’s inhumane!” Commenting on the new signs, the airport’s chief executive Dan De Bono told local radio station RNZ: “We’re trying to have fun with it.

"It is an airport and those drop-off locations are common locations for farewells. There’s no space left for others. It’s about enabling others to have hugs.

“Sometimes, travellers were using the drop-off zone to engage in last-minute amorous acts. Airports are hotbeds of emotion … our staff have seen some interesting things over the years.”

What’s more, Mr De Bono reaffirmed that he did not want “to tell people how long they should hug for” and that it was about the message rather than an instruction.

Some people have welcomed the measures with LBC reporting that one Facebook user said they loved it and it showed “warmth and compassion”.

Airports can often be hotbeds of high emotion and each airport has its own ways of accommodating those feelings, be they of anxiety about saying goodbye or getting on the plane in the first place.

In Turkey, they have introduced therapy dogs to support passengers with a fear of flying. The BBC reported that the two hounds, known as Kuki and Alita, have been on duty supporting passengers.

Speaking to the broadcaster traveller Ali remarked: “It's a really good scene and it's really nice to pet these dogs. I'm so happy that they are here.”