One Country Will Now Fine Impatient Flyers Who Stand Too Soon After Landing

Turkey is addressing annoying “aisle rushers” with a new fine for passengers who unbuckle their seatbelts before the plane has come to a complete stop.

Passengers who unbuckle their seatbelt to stand, enter the aisle, or open an overhead bin while the plane is taxiing upon arrival could be fined for the transgression. Airlines will now be required to revise in-flight announcements to warn passengers that failing to obey the seatbelt sign will result in the incident being documented and reported.

The penalty applies to commercial flights to Turkey, and is aimed at reducing occurrences of impatient passengers disregarding safety instructions (and basic flight etiquette). As reported by the Associated Press, the new regulations were issued by the country’s civil aviation authority, the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation, earlier this month.

The updated rules also include fines for travelers who smoke tobacco products on the plane.

Although the regulations don’t specify a set limit, the fines could be as high as $70, according to Turkish media.

“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, [and] disregards the satisfaction and exit priority of other travelers.”

This isn’t the first time an administration has looked to penalize so-called aisle rushers. In 2021, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) similarly cracked down on unruly airline passengers, proposing $1 million in fines across 3,889 incidents. This included a $14,000 fine for a passenger who refused to wear her mask properly and stood (unbuckled) while the fasten seatbelt sign was on.