If there's one thing that annoys us the most while travelling on a plane (after a crying baby on board, of course), it has to be certain people... people who are in such a rush to bolt from the aircraft the moment it touches down.
Whether you're a frequent flyer or not, you know what we mean. The moment the captain announces some garbled version of "we have landed", there's always that one person who springs up, opens the overhead bin, grabs their luggage, and plants themselves firmly in the aisle. This often leads to others doing the same thing, which ultimately leads to a cluster of people standing in the aisle while holding their luggage for no reason.
The plane is still taxiing, mind you.
Standing prematurely or moving during taxiing can lead to injuries. Photo: Unsplash
Taking it easy clearly isn't part of their travel policy - regardless of whether they have a connecting flight or not. But what's the point of clutching your bag and standing in a queue if you still have to wait for the crew to open the door for exiting? It's a mystery. And somehow, this works like a domino effect - once one person gets up (whether it's time or not), others follow suit as if it's a race to nowhere.
Now, to tackle this mid-air impatience, it looks like the Turkish government has introduced some new in-flight regulations. The Indian civil aviation authorities - the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) - too might want to take a few notes.
What Does The New Law Say?
Turkey has rolled out strict new rules for airline passengers to improve safety and order during flights - particularly during landing and disembarkation. These regulations, effective from early May 2025, apply to all commercial airlines operating within Turkey, including Turkish Airlines.
Here's the lowdown:
- Passengers must stay seated with seat belts fastened until the aircraft comes to a full stop at its designated parking spot and the seatbelt sign is switched off.
- Unbuckling seat belts, opening overhead compartments, or standing in the aisle before the plane has stopped taxiing is strictly prohibited.
- Airlines must revise their standard in-flight announcements to clearly instruct passengers to remain seated and warn that violations will be reported.
- Passengers are reminded to disembark in turn, without rushing forward - yes, your aisle seat doesn't make you royalty.
- Breaking these rules is considered disruptive passenger behaviour and may attract an administrative fine of up to USD 70 (Rs 6,000), say Turkish media reports, although an amount hasn't yet been specified by the Turkish government.
- Cabin crew are now responsible for enforcing these rules, delivering additional safety announcements after landing, and reporting any misbehaviour for possible legal or administrative action.
The aim? To reduce safety risks like injuries from abrupt stops, falling bags, blocked aisles, and to make the disembarkation process smoother and far less chaotic.
Though the enforcement of the rules have just been rolled out, the move clearly signals a zero-tolerance attitude towards bad travel behaviour.
It is also worth noting that India already has laws addressing 'unruly behavior' of passengers, including regulations set by the DGCA, which can even lead to imprisonment. However, these regulations primarily cover harassment and other forms of unruly behavior, not infractions like getting up from the seat while the plane is still taxiing.
Are Saving Those 10 Seconds Worth It?
Running if you've got a connecting flight is still understandable. But springing up for no good reason? You're just risking your safety - all to save a few seconds. It's a global issue, but let's be honest, India and we Indians do stand out a bit here.
Some argue, "If the crew can stand, so can we." Sure, but unless you've had the same safety training as them, maybe stay buckled in, no?
Standing prematurely or moving during taxiing can lead to injuries from sudden stops or turbulence, falling baggage, and obstructed aisles - all of which compromise safety for both passengers and crew. It also causes bottlenecks, messes with disembarkation order, and frays everyone's nerves.
'Classic Landing In India'
In fact, US filmmaker and journalist Adam Ellick once recorded Indian passengers standing up and rummaging through the overhead bins while the plane was still taxiing. This, despite repeated requests from the crew to stay seated until the seatbelt sign was off. The video, shared around February this year, went viral.
His caption? "Classic landing in India."
The reactions to video were mixed - though many, including Indians, admitted that it's a real problem.
There's no shortage of such viral videos, where you'll spot Indians racing to shave off those 10 golden seconds.
About three months ago, a Reddit thread on this very issue gained traction.
A user shared a photo of Indian passengers queueing up inside the plane and added, "Why are Indian flyers so impatient? Every passenger wants to get up from the seat as soon as the plane lands, remove luggage and queue for long. After that, they wait for many minutes, then deboard, then reach the luggage belt, and everyone's bags come at the same time. I've noticed Indians crowd so close to each other that they're practically touching. I have to tell people multiple times to keep some distance [sic]."
Patience is rare
byu/Fine-Sand-8806 inAirTravelIndia
The rule came into effect this month, but Turkey hasn't yet notified how many people have been fined so far. However, the fine for violators is something that India too could do with.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
