Officials at the airport on New Zealand's South Island have brought in the policy to allow more passengers to greet or say goodbye to loved ones but it has been criticised as "inhumane".

An airport in New Zealand has limited hugging in its drop-off zone to a maximum of three minutes - with anyone wanting a longer goodbye told to head for the car park.

Dunedin International Airport, on New Zealand’s South Island, announced the rule change last month as part of a broader effort to improve safety and keep traffic flowing in the zone, local media reported.

Signs have gone up informing people sending off their loved ones that the new rule is “Max hug time three minutes” or “It’s hard to say goodbye so make it quick. 3 minutes max”.

They replaced the previous signs which only reminded drivers that cars left unattended would risk being clamped and charged NZ$70, Stuff reported.