Airline’s controversial new fine for this common plane habit.
If you’re one of those travelers who jumps out of their seat the moment the plane lands, consider this your heads-up: Turkey has had enough.
Air travel is already packed with its share of frustrations: long lines, delays, cramped seating. Yet, one common complaint seems to bring passengers together globally: the aisle rushers. You know the kind… the instant the wheels touch the ground, they’re up, pulling their bags from the overhead compartment while the rest of the cabin collectively sighs.
Now, Turkey is taking action.
The Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation, under the leadership of Kemal Yüksek, has issued a directive to cabin crews: passengers who ignore the disembarkation order by standing up before the plane has completely stopped or rushing into the aisle before it’s their row’s turn may now face official consequences.
In a recent statement, Yüksek mentioned that those who do not “respect the disembarkation priority of the passengers in front of or around them” can be reported to authorities and face an administrative fine under Turkey’s aviation laws.
So, how much will that hasty aisle dash cost you? According to The Washington Post, the fine could amount to 2,603 Turkish lira, which is about $67 USD.
The updated regulations address a number of behaviors that have become increasingly frequent on flights:
- Removing seat belts too soon
- Standing up before the aircraft has finished taxiing
- Opening the overhead compartments too early
- Hurrying down the aisle before your row has disembarked
Officials caution that these actions not only disrupt the flow of boarding and deplaning but also endanger passenger safety and demonstrate a lack of consideration for other travelers.
Therefore, if you plan to fly to or through Turkey in the near future, please remain buckled, stay seated, and exercise patience. That additional 90 seconds of waiting could prevent you from receiving a fine and the disapproval of every other passenger on the flight.