Turkey airline passengers face fines for standing too soon after landing

Every airline passenger has heard the message towards the end of the flight that tells them to stay seated after landing until the seatbelt sign is turned off. Now, those who ignore it in Turkey will face fines.

The Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation sent a notice to airlines, according to reports, telling crewmembers to report passengers who are too eager to get off planes. 

“Please do not unfasten your seatbelt, stand up, or open the overhead compartments until the seatbelt sign has been switched off,” the notice shared by the Washington Post says. The newspaper says passengers could be fined 2,603 Turkish lira, which is about $67. 

“It is strictly forbidden to stand up, open overhead compartments, or be present in the aisle before the aircraft has reached its parking position and the seatbelt sign has been turned off,” the notice continues.

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Turkish Airlines (THY) aircraft are pictured on the tarmac of Istanbul Grand Airport in Istanbul, Turkey May 23, 2023. (Yoruk Isik / Reuters)

Passengers must wait until the plane is parked, the seatbelt sign is turned off and passengers in front of them have begun exiting prior to entering the aisle to deplane. 

Turkish Airlines did not immediately respond to a FOX Business inquiry about when the fines might go into effect. 

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This photograph taken on November 14, 2023 shows a Turkish Airlines’ logo on an office building in Istanbul.  (BULENT KILIC/AFP / Getty Images)

In the U.S., flight attendants are supposed to alert captains if passengers stand prior to the plane being parked on the tarmac, according to the New York Post.  

Both “gate lice” and “aisle lice” have made headlines lately as hasty travelers crowded to board and deplane. The terms refer to travelers who crowd the respective areas before it is their turn.

An Aeroflot Boeing 737-8LJ aircraft lands at Istanbul International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey December 13, 2022 (Yoruk Isik / Reuters)

In 2024, American Airlines rolled out a new technology used during boarding that audibly alerts gate agents when a passenger is attempting to board ahead of their designated assignment.

On the “r/delta” Reddit forum earlier this year, one flyer asked, “Who do [we] hate more? Gate lice or aisle lice?”

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“Aisle lice are exponentially worse, imo. Who really cares who gets on the plane first, you’re all getting on anyway. Aisle lice slow things down, delay people and cause so much more headaches,” one stated.

Fox News Digital’s Ashley DiMella and Sydney Borchers contributed to this report.