Emotional farewells are a common sight at airports, but travelers leaving the New Zealand city of Dunedin will have to be quick. A new three-minute time limit on goodbye hugs in the airport’s drop-off area is intended to prevent lingering cuddles from causing traffic jams.
“Max hug time three minutes,” warn signs outside the terminal, adding that those seeking “fonder farewells” should head to the airport’s parking lot instead.
The cuddle limit was imposed in September to “keep things moving smoothly” in the redesigned passenger drop-off area outside the airport, CEO Dan De Bono told The Associated Press. It was the airport’s way of reminding people that the zone was for “quick farewells” only. “[It’s] plenty of time to pull up, say farewell to your loved ones and move on,” says De Bono. “The time limit is really a nicer way of saying, ‘You know, get on with it.’”
A 20-second hug is long enough to release the wellbeing-boosting hormones oxytocin and serotonin, De Bono said. Anything longer was “really awkward.”
But passengers need not worry unduly about enforcement. “We do not have hug police.” Visitors might, however, be asked to move their lingering embraces to the parking lot, where they can cuddle free of charge for up to 15 minutes.
Possible Preaching Angle:
For Christians, goodbyes are never final. Farewells in the Bible often serve as a moment of transition, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. They are moments of reflection, blessing, and often, divine revelation. They remind us of the importance of relationships and the enduring presence of God in our lives.
Editor’s note: For more on this topic you can click here.
