While the airport says it's just 'a bit of fun', the rule has caused quite a stir.

Dunedin Airport has brought in the limit at its drop-off location to combat people lingering around leaving no space for others.

As such, a sign has been erected which reads: "Max hug time 3 minutes, for fonder farewells please use the car park."

Speaking to Radio New Zealand, CEO of the airport Daniel De Bono spoke about the reasons for the new rule and the reaction to it.

He explained: "Often at airport drop-off locations, the messaging can be quite intense - 'you're going to get fined, you're going to get clamped, you need to move your car, go park in the car park.'

"We're actually just trying to have a bit of fun with it… Talk about a time limit for your hugs, three minutes.

"And if you want a more fonder farewell, go to the car parks. Park there, you get 15 minutes free in the car park anyway.

"But it's caused quite a stir… [People are] going: 'You can't tell us how long we can have a hug for'."

As an example of this, under a Dunedin Airport social media post about the sign, one commenter said: "Hug Police!? This is just weird!

"Hugs are proven to have many benefits not to mention mental health. Hugs should be promoted not discouraged."

Responding to such complaints, De Bono - who professed he is pro-hug - told Radio New Zealand: "It's really about enabling enough space for others to also have hugs.

"There's only so much space we have in our drop-off area. Too many people are spending too much time with their fonder farewells in the drop-off zone, there's no space left for others."

As for what happens if people spend longer then three minutes on goodbye hugs, De Bono said: "All our team do will ask them to politely move on to the car park to create some space for others. It's nothing more than that.

"We're not going to call the hug police. That would be bonkers."