One European Country's New Airline Rule Could Fine Passengers For Grabbing Their Bags Too Early On The Plane

We've all done it. You're in a rush to get to your destination, and before the plane has fully docked, you've taken your seatbelt off, stood up, and started for the overhead compartment. While passengers are instructed not to move from their seats until the plane has stopped moving on all commercial airlines, doing so won't necessarily have any consequences on most flights. Türkiye, however, has just made this move officially punishable, threatening to report and fine passengers who stand prematurely.

Enacted to prevent passengers from posing unnecessary risk to others on the plane, local carrier Turkish Airlines has updated its announcement upon landing to notify that any 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" (via Euronews). 

That said, although Turkish media outlets have reported fines of around $70 for going against the new regulations, no official guidance from the agency has been released. Nonetheless, travelers flying into the country soon should be mindful of the new policy — which could be especially problematic for anyone rushing to their next destination or travelers who don't want to deal with missing a connecting flight because of a delay.

If you're flying into Türkiye soon and are unclear what the rules upon landing will be, don't fret. In order to keep passengers aware of new rules, all commercial airlines are now required to update their in-flight announcements to ensure passengers are aware of the regulation. This warning will note that, should you stand up or reach for your bag before the flight has concluded, you may be fined. Additionally, passengers will also be called by row by row to disembark to avoid injury or bottlenecking (officially putting an end one of the most annoying things flight attendants wish you'd stop doing).

Getting your bag down early is just one of the CAA's concerns. Passengers will also be instructed through in-flight announcements not to unbuckle their seatbelt, stand, or move throughout the cabin until the seatbelt lights have been turned off. Fines can apply to anyone who stands before this, regardless of whether they leave a row or try to take down a bag before they should.

The best practice when touching down in Türkiye (or in any country for that matter) for your safety and the safety of others — and to avoid paying an extra travel fee — is to stay seated with your seatbelt fastened until you've been notified that it's safe to stand. And, if you're worried you might not have enough time to make it to your destination, simply book a long gap between flights. After all, Istanbul is home to one of the best airports in the world for layovers, so spending a little longer there shouldn't be too bad.