Türkiye will fine airline passengers who unbuckle before the plane stops

A Turkish Airlines plane takes off from Istanbul Airport near the Black Sea shores, in Istanbul, on April 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

ANKARA, Türkiye — Passengers on flights to Türkiye who unbuckle their seat belts, enter an aisle or open overhead compartments before their plane has stopped taxiing upon arrival are eligible for fines under new regulations issued by the country’s civil aviation authority.

Under the updated rules, commercial airlines operating flights in Türkiye are required to revise their standard in-flight announcements telling passengers to remain seated with seat belts fastened until the aircraft has reached a gate or other final stopping point.

Airlines now need to warn that violations of the procedure will be documented and reported, according to a circular issued by the Turkish Directorate of Civil Aviation. The announcements also are supposed to remind passengers to let the people sitting in the rows ahead of them exit first.

Turkish media reports have said rule-breakers could be fined up to $70. The civil aviation directorate did not specify the amount but said it updated the regulations following passenger complaints and flight inspections that indicated a growing number of safety violations.

“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 said. “This behavior compromises the safety of passengers and baggage, disregards the satisfaction and exit priority of other travellers.”

Passengers who race to stand up and grab their possessions the second the seat-belt light goes off -- often referred to as “aisle rushers” or worse -- are the bane of many travellers.

Many countries have regulations to deter unruly passengers, and most have regulations requiring people to follow instructions for when to stay buckled up. However, Türkiye’s threat of financial repercussions for post-landing misbehavior is unusual enough to have attracted notice.

The regulations took effect earlier this month. There have been no immediate reports about people getting fined or airlines enforcing the regulations by reporting violators. Türkiye is a popular travel destination that draws millions of tourists every year.

The Associated Press reached out to Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines, a low-cost carrier also based in Türkiye, for comment on Tuesday.

In the U.S., Federal Aviation Administration regulations require passengers to have their seat belts “properly secured during taxiing, takeoff, landing, and any other time when instructed to by crewmembers,” the agency confirmed via email.

A failure to obey safety instructions can result in a hefty civil penalty. But reports of the FAA and other aviation agencies actually fining passengers for not wearing their seat belts are rare -- and, if such enforcement is taken, it’s usually paired with additional “unruly” behavior.

In 2021, for instance, the FAA proposed a US$14,000 civil fine for an Endeavor Airlines passenger who allegedly unfastened her seat belt while the “fasten seat belt” sign was illuminated and also refused to wear a mask properly despite repeated instructions from flight attendants.

Aviation agencies worldwide reported a concerning uptick in disruptive passenger behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, largely due to travellers who refused to follow mask policies.

As incidents skyrocketed in 2021, the FAA implemented a “zero-tolerance policy” of issuing fines instead of giving unruly passengers warning letters or the option of remedial counseling. These days, unruly passengers can face FAA fines of up to $37,000 per incident as well as criminal prosecution, the agency said via email.

Airlines, aviation regulators and safety organizations alike have long-expressed the importance of remaining seated wearing a seat belt while a plane is in motion to avoid injuries from in-flight disruptions like turbulence. After a plane lands, passengers are at risk of falling or other injuries if they stand and attempt to move while the aircraft taxis to the gate.

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA -- a union representing more than 55,000 flight attendants -- reiterated that passengers must remain seated with their belts fastened when a plane is on an active runway and until it comes to a complete stop. She again pointed to the consequences of failing to comply under U.S. aviation regulations.

“Listen to your flight attendants and follow crewmember instructions to get to your destination safely and to avoid unnecessary delay,” Nelson said in a statement.