The next time you fly into Turkey, you might want to take a beat before standing up to get your luggage, because if you try to snag that bag too quickly, you could have to pay a hefty fine.
In May, the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced new rules that will fine any passengers who unbuckle their seat belts, stand up, enter the aisle, or open the overhead bin before the plane has come to a complete stop after taxiing to the jet bridge or parking space for deplaning, the Associated Press reported.
According to the agency’s announcement, “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.” The announcement does not say exactly how much the fine will be. However, the AP noted that some local media are reporting it could be up to $70.
To ensure every traveler is well aware of the rules, the AP noted that commercial airliners operating in Turkey must now revise their in-flight announcements to include a mention of the rule and warn passengers that they must remain seated or face both the fine and having their name reported to the Turkish Directorate of Civil Aviation.
EuroNews reported that Turkish Airlines has already updated its landing announcement, which now states 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.”
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And in a move most travelers will applaud, the AP noted that the announcement must also include a reminder that passengers should let the row ahead of them exit first before they attempt to rush by, causing a bottleneck.
“Despite announcements informing passengers of the rules, many are standing up before the aircraft reaches its parking positions and before the seat belt sign is turned off,” the directorate shared in a statement with the AP. “This behavior compromises the safety of passengers and baggage, [and] disregards the satisfaction and exit priority of other travelers.”
There’s also plenty of precedent for this new rule. As the New York Times pointed out, in the U.S., passengers can also be fined for failing to follow crew instructions or “engaging in disruptive or violent behavior.” In fact, those fines can reach up to $37,000 per violation, and passengers who are particularly poorly behaved could even face jail time or an investigation by the FBI.
Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, shared a statement of support with the AP, noting that passengers should remain seated and should always adhere to the guidelines set out by crew members. Nelson added, “Listen to your flight attendants and follow crewmember instructions to get to your destination safely and to avoid unnecessary delay.”
