Airports Are Implementing A 3-Minute Hug Limit At Drop-Off—Here’s NYC’s Plans
Saying goodbye to a loved one at the airport is already hard enough, but imagine if you only had three minutes to do it? That’s now a reality for a small airport in New Zealand where a time limit on hugs has been enforced at its drop-off zone.
The Dunedin Airport has become famous for its new 3-minute hug limit, an effort to reduce traffic jams. The airport posted a photo to Instagram of the new drop-off sign with CEO Daniel De Bono and GM Business Development Megan Crawford embracing in front of it.
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Of course, the unique ruling begs the question whether other airports around the world will follow suit.
Research show that the optimal hug lasts anywhere between 5-10 seconds, as a time frame can be crucial for releasing the endorphins that come from an embrace. However, De Bono argued that taking even longer with a 20-second hug is sufficient to release these endorphins, making the three minute maximum more than enough time.
The purpose behind the hug time limit concept “would be beneficial in cutting congestion and easing stress,” Jeff Rose, CEO of Attitude New York, a chauffeured car operator in NYC, agreed. “Perhaps divide curbs into crops for those with luggage and those without. Think of it as express lanes for light travelers,” he added. But overall, Rose claimed it would be a poor idea logistically and “an enforcement nightmare.”
If time limits were enforced at NYC airport drop-off zones, it would be impossible to do so fairly, Rose told us. “Would you have agents standing curbside with stopwatches? It could also lead to some tense exchanges and potential friction among travelers and between travelers and enforcer.”
PANJNY has yet to respond to our inquiry about the concept of a hug limit and whether or not it’s in the cards for NYC airport drop-off zones. So for now, take in all the time you need to bid your farewells, while of course staying mindful to everyone else at the airport.
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