If you are travelling to Turkey, avoid getting up immediately after the plane lands. It might cost you money.
Fliers who throng the aisle before their row is called or get up before an aircraft has come to a halt will now be subject to fines in Turkey, the authorities said.
The Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) published a circular outlining the new regulations to reduce dangerous and disruptive passenger behaviour while deplaning, The Washington Post reported.
Although the amount of the penalty is not specified in the circular, Turkish network Halk TV stated that it might be roughly 2,603 Turkish lira, or 67 USD (approximately Rs 5,700). After arrival, passengers were required to stay seated until it was their turn to evacuate.
According to Director General Kemal Yuksek, there has been a "significant increase" in instances where travellers violate safety procedures. These endanger "passenger and baggage safety and security" and interfere with other travellers' ability to leave.
This includes standing up, unbuckling seat belts, opening overhead bins, and clogging the aisle while the aircraft is still taxiing to the gate, as well as standing up or moving into the aisle before the row's turn to leave.
Mr Yuksek directed cabin crews on aircraft arriving in Turkey to warn passengers that failure to "respect the disembarkation priority of the passengers in front of or around you" would result in a report to the appropriate authorities.
The new regulations require passengers to stay seated and buckled up until the plane has completely parked and their row is called to disembark. Fines can also be imposed for violations like opening overhead bins or unfastening seatbelts while taxiing.
Although these regulations have been formalised in Turkey, similar issues exist worldwide.
Some airports in the United States have implemented features to prevent overcrowding at gates. These measures include sirens that activate when boarding passes are scanned before the zone is called.
According to Federal Aviation Administration regulations, passengers are also not allowed to stand until the plane has parked, and flight attendants must notify the captain if passengers get up from their seats too soon.
People who rush to the aisle are reprimanded for being rude and impatient. Except for letting those through who have close connections, etiquette experts advise passengers to wait for the seats ahead of them to leave before entering the aisle.
