Dunedin Airport in New Zealand has made an interesting change in order to increase security and improve traffic flow at the drop-off area. Passengers are now limited to three minutes to hug their loved ones at the airport. This decision was made both for security and to regulate passenger flow.
Application at the Airport
A sign in the airport’s drop-off area reads: “Maximum hug time is 3 minutes. Please use the car park for more loving farewells.” Dunedin Airport General Manager Dan De Bono said there could be a fine if this rule was broken. De Bono said passengers used the drop-off area to have last-minute emotional moments, and stressed that airports are often places where emotions run high. “Our staff have seen some interesting things over the years,” he said.
Discussion Topic on Social Media
This warning quickly spread on social media and received mixed reviews from many users. While some users stated that restricting the duration of hugs was inhumane, others thought that limiting emotional moments to a certain duration was reasonable.
This situation has once again revealed that airports are not only transportation points but also places where intense emotions are shared. However, it seems that the debates about the necessity and applicability of such rules will continue.
