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Under a new “Passenger Announcements Circular” issued by Türkiye’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), passengers who stand before the aircraft has fully stopped and before the seatbelt warning light turns off will now face administrative fines.
The updated rules, effective earlier in May, aim to enhance safety and ensure a more orderly disembarkation process. The DGCA adopted the measures following passenger complaints and flight inspections that revealed an increase in safety violations during taxiing after landing.
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In Türkiye, as in many countries, passengers often stand or move around the cabin shortly after landing, sometimes causing disorder during arrival.
Commercial airlines operating in Türkiye must now issue a revised standard in-flight announcement instructing passengers to remain seated and warning that violations will be recorded and reported.
Turkish Airlines has informed its cabin crew about the new regulation designed to improve flight safety. According to the rules, passengers who stand, open overhead compartments, or attempt to leave their seats before the plane reaches its parking position after landing will be classified as “Passengers Acting Against Rules.”
Passengers in this category will face administrative fines for standing before the aircraft comes to a complete stop or opening overhead compartments prematurely.
Cabin crew must make a special warning announcement immediately following the post-landing “farewell announcement,” reminding passengers not to stand before the seatbelt warning light turns off.
The circular was approved by the Directorate General on May 2, 2025, and is now in effect. Administrative action against violators will be taken under current legislation.
The DGCA said the aim is to prevent behaviors that threaten flight safety and to maintain order inside the cabin.
In a written statement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said, “Considering recent written and verbal passenger complaints reported to our Directorate General, as well as flight inspections conducted by our authority; despite announcements informing passengers about the rules during taxi after landing, we have observed a significant increase in incidents where passengers stand up, enter the aisle, open overhead compartments, and move along the aisle before the aircraft reaches its parking position and before the seatbelt warning lights are off."
"These behaviors risk passenger and baggage safety and security and disregard the satisfaction and priority of other passengers for disembarkation. To raise passenger awareness that those who unfasten seatbelts and stand before the seatbelt warning lights turn off may be subject to administrative fines by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, additional measures have been deemed necessary," it added.
The circular does not specify the amount of the fine, but Turkish media report it could be about 2,603 Turkish lira ($67).
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