UK airport’s brilliant response to New Zealand’s counterpart on hug time

After a New Zealand airport put a limit on ‘hug time’ for passengers saying goodbye to their families, Heathrow airport decided to respond with its own take on saying goodbye to loved ones leaving on a trip.

Dunedin airport in New Zealand announced a three-minute cap on hugs in the departure drop-off zone.

Many were outraged by the new signs at the airport and Heathrow airport reacted to the limitation.

Heathrow made a heartwarming statement to passengers and their loved ones, with messages displayed in its terminals encouraging passengers to take as much time as they need to say goodbye before embarking on their travels.

Signs shown on screens at the airport depicted two people hugging, with the message: “Max hug time, unlimited. Fond farewells in departed, encouraged.”

The airport said it is committed to cherishing special connections and said its own terminal three arrivals gate has been “immortalised in the opening scene of Love Actually”, the iconic British rom-com.

Dunedin Airport CEO Daniel De Bono explained the new rules to limit goodbye hugs, saying: “There’s only so much space we have in that drop-off area and too many people are spending too much time on their fonder farewells.”

Signs at Dunedin read: “Max hug time three minutes, for fonder farewells please use the car park.”

Many were confused by the new rule and it stirred controversy online, with people saying it is “inhumane”. Authorities claim it is aimed at “improving traffic flow and safety around the terminal” around the drop-off zone.

Heathrow airport announced this week that between June and September, 30.7 million passengers passed through it, bringing the total footfall for the first nine months to 63.1 million.

On 24 July and 2 September, Heathrow experienced the busiest departures and busiest arrivals day in the airport’s history, respectively.

In response to its soaring passenger numbers, Heathrow’s 2024 forecast has increased to 83.8 million.

The airport said it is committed to “creating an environment where farewells aren’t rushed, but savoured.”