Many users expressed their disapproval regarding the banned hug, which triggered a wide resonance on social networks. One of them was surprised that the airport still provides free parking for dropping off passengers, considering the overall increase in fees for parking and fines.
The airport's general director, Danidin, Daniel Di Bono, raised this initiative in an interview with New Zealand radio RNZ. The Danidin airport has sparked discussions in New Zealand due to the introduction of restrictions on the temporary hugging allowed on the airport's territory, calling for them to use the parking.
The airport administration has installed new signs, restricting the duration of a hug to a three-minute interval in the passenger drop-off zone, adding a call for "more gentle pleading, please, use the parking".
The airport describes itself as "an emotional center," noting that a study exists which states that a 20-second hug is sufficient to produce oxytocin, "the love hormone." The director believes that this is sufficient time, asserting that quick movement of passengers and their relatives provides more people with the opportunity to receive a hug.
Currently, at the Danidin airport, free parking is allowed for 15 minutes, but this time does not necessarily have to fully expire before the hug ends or for arrivals.
