Capitalising on a recent controversy over airport time limits on goodbye cuddles, London’s Heathrow Airport has made a light-hearted public relations move declaring that cuddles are unrestricted at its drop-off zones.
Cuddles over Down Under but on in London
New signs erected at the UK’s biggest international hub tell passengers: “Max hug time, unlimited. Fond farewells in Departures encouraged.” The Heathrow signage and its wording appear to borrow directly from, and poke gentle fun at, New Zealand, where South Island’s Dunedin Airport has asked flyers to avoid lengthy goodbyes with notices at its terminal saying, “Max hug time 3 minutes, for fonder farewells please use the car park”.
In the face of public criticism of the “inhumane” policy, Dunedin’s chief executive, Daniel De Bono, told New Zealand media that airports can be “hotbeds of emotion” where long, drawn-out farewells create hold-ups and prevent other passengers from accessing facilities. Short hugs of 20 seconds are sufficient, De Bono noted, to release the “love hormone”, oxytocin.
In contrast, Heathrow is portraying itself as the true inheritor of the heart-warming airport scenes depicted in films such as Love Actually, where emotional send-offs remind the narrator that love, not hate, is all around us. Passengers are encouraged to “take as much time as they need in Departures” when bidding farewell before taking off on their travels.
Heathrow’s drop-off charge
Of course, real life never quite lives up to the movies and, for passengers planning trips to Heathrow, it’s worth noting that the airport in fact charges £5 for every entry into its so-called “kiss-and-fly” drop-off areas. Indeed, the information given on the subject on Heathrow’s website has a rather less romantic tone than its recent PR exercise.
Terminal Drop-Off Charge applies to vehicles dropping off passengers on the terminal forecourts. Use short stay parking for pick up; free pick-up / drop-off remain available in Long Stay parking.
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) September 25, 2024
Blue badge holders are eligible for a 100% discount.
ℹ️ https://t.co/KzGSmXroiw pic.twitter.com/ZM3XtRDjqJ
“Please bear in mind that a £5 charge now applies at Heathrow every time a vehicle enters the terminal drop-off areas. Drop-off areas are located right outside the terminal for the easiest and quickest way to drop-off passengers,” the website says, reminding us that “You can pay for a single drop-off or pre-pay for multiple drop-offs online or by phone. Please note that there is no option to pay at an airport ticket machine or in the terminal drop-off zones.”
Even more ominously, the airport warns: “You must not leave your vehicle unattended in the terminal drop-off areas. Vehicles left unattended will be removed by the police.” And for good measure, it tells us that it charges for every goodbye: “If you enter a drop-off area a second time, you will need to pay the charge again and every time after that.”
