It’s OK to have a tearful goodbye, but there’s a limit to my patience

It was the longest, most overwrought farewell I’ve ever witnessed, played out through a bus window like a scene from a telenovela. At a rural bus stop in Cuba, a 60-something German woman – let’s call her Stella, shall we? – sobbed in the arms of her 20-year-old local lover, wailing hysterically every time she was prodded to board the bus.

Credit: Jamie Brown

As cranky passengers yelled through the windows at her to hurry it up (the trip was already 20 minutes behind schedule due to the bus driver stopping to pick up a large fish wrapped in butcher’s paper from a roadside vendor, which was then placed in the luggage hold where it stank out everyone’s backpacks), the handsome amor could barely contain his mirth as he delicately tried to steer sobbing Stella towards the waiting vehicle.

Finally, the bus driver, who had clearly witnessed this young stud in action before, stepped in to physically drag Stella on board, mocking her tears and chuckling as amused passengers whooped and hollered their support.

While all credit must be given to Stella for getting her groove on, everyone on board that bus was in agreement – wrap it up, already. Get over your heartbreak, say your goodbyes and stop inconveniencing your fellow passengers.

Send in the hug police… Credit: Getty Images

It’s a familiar scene at any port of departure – floods of tears, nerves of anticipation, awkward embraces and the requisite selfie before a loved one vanishes into the vortex of immigration and security.

It’s only natural that emotions escalate in this heightened environment. Perhaps it’s your firstborn taking off on an independent adventure, or the heart-wrenching finale of a holiday romance, a la Stella. Maybe a family member is moving overseas, never to return. Entwined in every embrace is an intriguing backstory, a chronicle behind every kiss.

A sign informing time limits for visitors to the passenger drop-off area outside Dunedin airport.Credit: AP

But when does a hug linger too long? According to a polarising new rule at New Zealand’s Dunedin Airport, three minutes is ample time to kiss and drop – beyond that, curbside farewells simply become traffic hazards.

Dunedin Airport chief executive Dan De Bono told Radio New Zealand that the controversial new signage restricting hugs to three minutes was due to people taking too long in the drop-off zone, with some travellers using it to engage in last-minute amorous activities.

“Airports are hotbeds of emotion,” De Bono said. “Our staff have seen some interesting things over the years.”

The threat must have worked – a near-empty drop-off area at Dunedin airport.Credit: AP

While, in typical friendly Kiwi fashion, the new rule will not be strictly policed or fines imposed – unlike in more draconian destinations such as the UK, where it’s common to pay up to 10 quid to access a drop-off zone – the message is clear: say your goodbyes and move on to make space for others.

While farewells inside Dunedin’s terminal remain uncapped, the question remains, inside or out: should physical displays of affection be controlled by the hug police, like our bold Cuban bus driver?

Celerity is a virtue when it comes to travel. We all want to make the process of departure – from dropping off luggage to clearing security – as smooth and speedy as possible. To feel emotional during this undertaking is understandable, but to wallow can be counterproductive, both for you and others for whom time is of the essence.

As for poor Stella, she sobbed all the way back to Havana, forever pining for the love of her life, while I can only assume her young lover was back at the bus stop the following day, ready to greet his next conquest.