Turkey Cracks Down on Fliers Who Stand Up Too Soon, Threatening Fines

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/world/europe/turkey-airplane-passengers-fine-stand-up.html

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Most airline passengers know the rules: Stay seated at the end of the flight until the aircraft comes to a complete stop and the “fasten seatbelt” sign is off. Still, time and time again, passengers stand up anyway, in a rush to stretch their legs or collect their luggage.

To address this, Turkey can now fine passengers who unbuckle their seatbelts, leave their seats before the plane has stopped taxiing or access overhead compartments before they are authorized to do so, according to new rules issued by the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation this month.

“Passengers who do not comply with the rules will be reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation through a disruptive passenger report, and an administrative fine will be imposed,” the Turkish government said in an announcement. It did not say how much passengers might be fined.

Turkish Airlines did not respond to a request for comment about how many times this rule had been enforced since its implementation in early May.

In addition to potentially rankling others on the plane, safety issues can arise when passengers leave their seats prematurely. Passengers can fall if the plane makes a sudden stop, and luggage can fall from overhead bins if they are opened while the aircraft is still moving. Aisles also need to remain clear for emergency evacuations.

According to a report by the International Air Transport Association, a global airline trade group, failure to comply with instructions from flight attendants was the most frequent type of unruly passenger behavior in 2023. Flight attendants have also dealt with violence against themselves and other passengers, harassment, verbal abuse, smoking and forms of riotous behavior. These incidents can cause safety and security issues as well as significant operational disruption and costs for airlines, the report said.