Cuddle time capped: Airport puts a 3-minute limit on goodbye hugs

It’s unclear whether the idea will take flight.

But back on the ground, one airport in New Zealand is implementing a maximum time just three minutes for loved ones to say goodbye to their relatives with a hug.

“It’s hard to say goodbye so make it quick. 3 minutes max,” one of a series of signs at Dunedin Airport on the country’s South Island says.

“Max hug time three minutes” another reads.

Those seeking “fonder farewells” should “use the car park” where a generous 15-minute window is allowed, a third says.

Dan De Bono, the airport’s CEO has said that that lighthearted approach is aimed at keeping the traffic into the terminal flowing smoothly.

“We’re trying to have fun with it. It is an airport and those drop off locations are common locations for farewells” he told Radio New Zealand (RNZ) earlier this month.

Recognizing that the signage had “caused quite a stir” he said that the signs were designed to keep drop-off zones moving at the airport.

“There’s no space left for others,” he said. “It’s about enabling others to have hugs.”

NBC News has reached out to De Bono and the airport for comment.

Although many people recognize the comfort and joy that come from a hug, there are also broader scientific benefits to pressing the flesh.

Hugs can improve mood, well-being and even physical health, boosting the immune system, Professor Michael Banissy, the head of psychological science at the U.K.’s University of Bristol told NBC News Monday.

He added that the three-minute period suggested by the airport “should provide enough of a window to facilitate the release of hormones that contribute to these health and well-being benefits.”

However, Banissy said the “context and quality of the hug are crucial” as “for some people, time limits might undermine the natural, comforting nature of hugging, potentially preventing individuals from fully experiencing a farewell hug’s emotional and physiological rewards.”

Defending the introduction of the signs, in his interview with RNZ, De Bono quoted a study that suggested a 20-second hug is long enough to release oxytocin, otherwise known as the “love hormone.”

But Banissy said that despite this, there are some people where time limits might “undermine the natural, comforting nature of hugging” which could “potentially prevent individuals from fully experiencing the physiological rewards” of a heartfelt farewell.

The debate is still up in the air.