Overview

• The Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued the directive in May requiring passengers to keep seatbelts fastened and remain seated until aircraft reaches its parking position.
• Airlines flying in and out of Turkey have been told to revise in-flight scripts to warn that unbuckling, standing or opening overhead bins too early may incur penalties.
• Turkish media report fines could reach 2,603 Turkish lira (about $70), but the authority has not officially confirmed the exact amount or enforcement timeline.
• The policy responds to a rise in unsafe behavior during taxiing and aims to ensure smoother and safer disembarkation procedures.
• The move aligns with similar FAA requirements in the United States, where seatbelts must remain secured during taxiing and fines are typically imposed alongside other unruly conduct.