Türkiye to fine passengers who stand up before the seatbelt sign is switched off on planes
When is it ok to recline your seat? Who should get the use of the middle armrests? Should passengers disembark row by row?
On one controversial habit, Türkiye's aviation authority has now made its opinion clear.
The national body has introduced penalties for passengers who stand up before the fasten seatbelt sign is switched off upon landing.
This is a custom that not only disrupts other passengers, it says, but also poses a safety risk.
The Turkish Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says it has brought in the new regulation to improve safety and reduce disruptions during the disembarkation process of planes.
When passengers rush to stand up while the plane is still moving, they frequently jostle other flyers or risk causing injuries by attempting to open the overhead compartments.
The ruling also intends to reduce the need for cabin crew to repeatedly issue safety instructions that are frequently ignored.
Under the new rule, passengers must remain seated with their seatbelts fastened until the aircraft reaches its designated parking spot and the fasten seatbelt sign is deactivated.
They must also wait for their row to be called to disembark the aircraft.
The regulation, based on Article 143 of the Turkish Civil Aviation Law No. 2920, affects all carriers operating flights into Türkiye.
'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,' the CAA states.
Passengers violating the rules risk a $70 (€62) fine.
Turkish Airlines has already updated its landing announcement, which now explicitly warns passengers about potential penalties for non-compliance with the ruling.
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It states, '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 to the new ruling have been mixed.
While some have praised the move, comments on social media suggest there is also scepticism as to the effectiveness of the measure to rein in the frustrating flyer habit.
It is yet to be seen if other airlines will introduce similar warnings to Turkish Airlines for flights arriving in Türkiye.
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