The arrival and departure areas at any international airport can devolve into traffic gridlock during peak hours. To combat this, Dunedin International Airport in New Zealand introduced a three-minute time limit on hugs in its drop-off zone late last month to keep vehicles moving. People engaging in public displays of affection for more than three minutes will be asked to take it to the parking lot, allowing free visits for 15 minutes or less.
While the reasoning for the time limit is clear, how Dunedin Airport came to three minutes as the set duration is vague. It might seem like a completely arbitrary number, but the facility’s chief executive admitted that there was some scientific reasoning behind it. Dunedin Airport CEO Daniel De Bono told Radio New Zealand:
“I did some reading on this a few weeks ago. Turns out, you need 20 seconds for the oxytocin and serotonin release from a hug. Anything less, you don’t get the happy hormones. And anything longer, I guess, maybe get into the awkward territory. But we’re not here to tell people how long they should hope for. It’s more the message of please move on.”
Dunedin Airport serves the city of the same name on New Zealand’s South Island and receives around 900,000 passengers annually. Its volume is similar to that of the airport serving Greensboro, North Carolina. Not massive, but not insignificant. Hopefully, 15 minutes in the parking lot is enough time to get goodbyes out of the way. You should just get a hotel room if that’s still too brief.
