Thinking of rushing off a flight to Turkey? Get ready for a $70 fine

Travellers to Turkey who leave their seats as soon as their plane hits the tarmac could face a $70 fine, in a bid by authorities to stamp out this potentially dangerous practice.

The fine aims to tackle the trend of passengers pushing to the front of the plane during taxiing in a bid to be the first out of the aircraft doors and into the terminal, to be the first in the queue at passport control or to make a connecting flight.

Turkish aviation authorities say that passengers who leave their seats before the plane is stationary or are told they can stand will now have to pay a fine for breaking aviation rules. Airlines will also have to make announcements to passengers, reminding them of the new rule.

"According to the regulation, airlines are obliged to remind passengers to fasten their seat belts during and after landing until they reach the parking position and to explicitly point out that any infringement will be reported to the aviation authority and a fine will be imposed," reported the German DPA news agency.

The practice can lead to injuries if a plane suddenly brakes, create bottlenecks at the front of an aircraft, and prevent cabin crew from carrying out their duties.

The Turkish carrier's rule could become an industry standard, with Emirates and Qatar Airways both considering fining overeager passengers.

The rules have not been implemented in all Turkish airports, to the delight of many travellers who are frustrated by the disorderly practice.

The news comes as airlines were given the green light to install 'standing seats', which could boost capacity on flights by 20 percent and potentially make travelling cheaper.

Turkey is a major holiday hotspot with 3.7 million British citizens alone travelling to the country every year.