The Turkish Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued a new regulation penalising passengers flying to Türkiye who stand up before the fasten seatbelt sign is turned off, after the plane has landed and is taxiing to the terminal.
The aim of the new policy, according to the authority is intended to reduce the need for cabin crew to repeat safety instructions, often ignored, and to improve both passenger safety and the orderliness of disembarkation. In other words, passengers will now have to wait not only for the seatbelt sign to be switched off, but also for their row to be called before they can disembark.
The new rule, based on Article 143 of the Turkish Civil Aviation Law No. 2920, applies to all airlines operating flights into Türkiye.
As per the Turkish CAA: ‘According to the regulation, airlines are obliged to remind passengers to fasten their seatbelts during and after landing until they reach the parking position and to explicitly point out that any infringement will be reported to the aviation authority, and a fine will be imposed.’
Travellers can broadly be divided in two groups, those who leap up as soon as the plane touches the ground and those who remain seated until the seatbelt sign is turned off.
If you are part of the latter group, you may finally be spared the aggravation of fellow passengers jostling for their bags in the overhead compartments, blocking the aisles, leaning on your armrest, or looming over you, tense and folded in two if tall, as they attempt to jump the queue.
If, on the other hand, you are part of the other group – whether because you need to stretch your legs, are naturally impatient, want to be the first out, or are rushing to catch a connecting flight – you now risk being fined $70 fine (€62).
The classic landing announcement – ‘our aircraft has not yet reached its parking position. Please do not unfasten your seatbelt, stand up, or open the overhead compartments until the seatbelt sign has been switched off’ – has already been upgraded with a firmer warning on Turkish Airlines.
The national carrier is the first to implement the new rule and its landing announcement now includes that ‘passengers who do not comply with the rules will be reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation through a Disruptive Passenger Report, and an administrative fine will be imposed in accordance with the applicable legal regulations’.
Reactions online have been mixed. In response to a post by Behind the Wing, some Facebook users questioned who would be responsible for issuing fines, while others supported the policy. Some remained unconvinced it would have any impact.
Flying to 131 countries, Turkish Airlines currently holds the record for serving the highest number of countries of any airline worldwide.
Two questions remain: Will other airlines follow suit and impose fines on unruly passengers when landing in Türkiye? And will other countries be inspired to introduce similar rules of their own? Much will likely depend on how effective the measure proves to be.
Last year, American Airlines introduced a similar rule, but targeting pre-boarding behaviour, with fines aimed at so-called ‘gate lice’, or passengers who crowd around the gate hoping to board first.
