One country has announced that it’s going to be putting a stop to passengers standing before their flight is done taxiing to the airport gate by forcing fines on those who do.
They just announced it last month
In May of this year, the government of Turkey announced through their Directorate General of Civil Aviation that passengers could face fines if they “stand up, go to the corridor, open the overhead bins and proceed along the aisles… despite the announcements about the rules during taxi after landing, when the aircraft has not yet reached the parking position and the seat belt warning lights have not turned off.”
They’re doing it to ensure respect
The Washington Post translated a memo by Director General Kemal Yüksek from Turkish to English, where travelers were urged to “respect the disembarkation priority of the passengers in front of or around you.”
People who don’t adhere will be fined
The memo went on to say that passengers who don’t adhere to these guidelines will be reported and “an administrative fine will be imposed in accordance with the applicable legal regulations.”
Passengers are expected to wait
Instead of getting up as soon as the plane lands, travelers are expected to remain seated, leaving their seatbelts fastened until the plane stops.
They are also expected to refrain from retrieving their luggage from the overhead compartments while the plane is still taxiing to the airport gate.
It’s still not announced how much the fine will be
The cost of the upcoming fine was not disclosed but it was reported that the Turkish broadcaster Halk TV said it could be around 2,603 Turkish lira, which is about $67, as per The Washington Post.
Istanbul Airport gets a lot of traffic
IGA Istanbul Airport gets quite a lot of traffic and is one of the best-connected airports across the globe, as per the CNN.
The rule could then apply to all commercial flights entering the country, meaning it’s likely a whole lot of people will have to abide by it.