How long is too long for a hug? Dunedin Airport in New Zealand gives you a clear answer: three minutes.
The Dunedin Airport post saying “max hug time 3 minutes” and “for fonders farewell please use the car park” has ignited a global debate.
The policy led to a mix of reactions on a viral Facebook post. Some people are incensed by a “cuddle curfew,” with reactions ranging from “You can’t put a time limit on hugs—that’s inhumane!” to remarks like, “I remember Dunedin Airport as such a friendly place.”
Most people are pleasantly surprised that the airport maintains a free drop-off area, especially given the prevalent uptick in fees and fines.
“OMG, school drop-off lines need a similar sign (Max hug time 10 sec),” one commenter quipped. Another added, “I love it. It shows warmth and compassion. At my local airport, it’s all ‘you can’t stop here’—there’s a £100 fine if you stop and a minimum £5.00 to drop someone off in the drop-off zone. I love Nice airport—they have a ‘Kiss and Fly.'”
In an interview with New Zealand’s RNZ radio on Sept. 26, Dunedin Airport CEO Daniel De Bono spoke about the atmosphere of airports, calling them “hotbeds of emotion.”
As someone who considers himself a “hugger,” De Bono acknowledged the intensity of the drop-off zone.
“If you want to be more fond of their welcome, go to the car park, you get 15 minutes free there anyway,” De Bono said. “But it’s caused quite a stir. We’ve got quite a bit of conversation going.”
He explained the policy further: “It’s really about enabling enough space for others also to have hugs, right? So there’s only so much space we have in that drop-off area. Too many people are spending too much time with fond farewells in the drop-off zone, and there’s no space for others.”
De Bono provided some scientific basis for the hugging time: “I did some reading on this a few weeks ago. It turns out you need 20 seconds to get the oxytocin and serotonin release from a hug. Anything less and you don’t get the happy hormones.”
He referenced a study that found a 20-second hug can trigger a release of oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone.” De Bono argued that efficiently moving customers along allows for more brief reunions, ultimately enabling more people to experience these love hormones.
“But we’re not here to tell people how long they should hope for. It’s more the message of, please move on,” he said. “If you’re going to spend 15 minutes free, go to the car park, and provide space for others to do on their 20 second happy hormone hug, right?”
In conclusion, De Bono shared his personal view on the “art of a good hug,” suggesting, “I feel like 10 seconds is about right. Anything longer than 10, I start to feel it’s weird—like, let me go. Particularly when people start squeezing too much.”