A New Zealand airport has placed a limit on goodbye hugs at its drop-off area, allowing a maximum of three minutes for farewells. The sign at Dunedin Airport reads, "max hug time 3 minutes," and suggests that those wishing for longer goodbyes should use the car park instead.

A New Zealand airport has placed a limit on goodbye hugs at its drop-off area, allowing a maximum of three minutes for farewells. The sign at Dunedin Airport reads, "max hug time 3 minutes," and suggests that those wishing for longer goodbyes should use the car park instead. A photo of the sign, posted to the Facebook group "The view from my window" earlier this week, sparked a debate about what’s considered appropriate an appropriate amount of time when saying goodbye at airports. One person commented, “I love it. It shows warmth and compassion. My local airport it would be ‘you can’t stop there’ - 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 ‘Kiss and Fly’.” "You get 3 minutes to hug?? In America, they don’t even want you to stop. Just come to a slow roll and push your passenger out. I’m serious," a user wrote in the comment section. Also read: India: Aviation Ministry summons airline CEOs as hoax bomb threats reach 30; tougher penalties in discussion “This got me thinking…. Who are the people I would hug for 3 minutes? There are a very few, mostly family, and a dear long-time friend. But in spite of the humor of this sign, it’s something to think about. Life is short,” wrote a third one in the comments. Dunedin Airport CEO Daniel De Bono addressed the issue in an interview with New Zealand’s RNZ radio. De Bono said that airports are "emotional hotspots". He then went on to cite a study which said that a 20-second hug can release oxytocin, the "love hormone." De Bono added that moving people along quickly helps ensure more travellers can share hugs. He also noted that Dunedin Airport’s parking lot allows a free 15-minute stay, during which, he admitted, "our team has witnessed some interesting things over the years." (With inputs from agencies)

Hugging on the clock? New Zealand airport sparks debate by limiting goodbye hugs to 3 minutes

New Zealand police closed Dunedin airport late Sunday after a suspicious device was reported on the airfield.&nbsp;

'Dunedin Airport is currently closed'&nbsp;a statement said. 'Police are at the scene and specialist teams have been deployed to determine the nature of the package.'

New Zealand is currently on a state of high alert after a gunman, who is believed to have lived in Dunedin, killed 50 people in two mosques filled with worshippers. &nbsp;

An Air New Zealand staff member on the scene, who was not authorized to speak to the press, told AFP the terminal building had not been evacuated.

Only a handful of flights were due to arrive at the airport in the southeastern city, as the scare came in the late evening.&nbsp;

According to tracker FlightAware, Air New Zealand flight 691 from Wellington had been circling over the city for almost an hour before being forced to return to its origin.

The New Zealand Transport Agency reported State Highway 86, the main road leading to the airport, had been closed.

New Zealand police closed Dunedin airport late Sunday after a suspicious device was reported on the airfield. 'Dunedin Airport is currently closed' a statement said.

New Zealand police closed Dunedin airport late Sunday after a suspicious device was reported on the airfield. 'Dunedin Airport is currently closed' a statement said. 'Police are at the scene and specialist teams have been deployed to determine the nature of the package.' New Zealand is currently on a state of high alert after a gunman, who is believed to have lived in Dunedin, killed 50 people in two mosques filled with worshippers. An Air New Zealand staff member on the scene, who was not authorized to speak to the press, told AFP the terminal building had not been evacuated. Only a handful of flights were due to arrive at the airport in the southeastern city, as the scare came in the late evening. According to tracker FlightAware, Air New Zealand flight 691 from Wellington had been circling over the city for almost an hour before being forced to return to its origin. The New Zealand Transport Agency reported State Highway 86, the main road leading to the airport, had been closed.

'Suspicious package' shutters New Zealand's Dunedin airport

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Hugging on the clock? New Zealand airport sparks debate by limiting goodbye hugs to 3 minutes

'Suspicious package' shutters New Zealand's Dunedin airport