UK tourists in Turkey issued warning over £53 plane fine

UK holidaymakers landing in are being warned to stay seated or face a fine before their holiday has even begun. Travellers caught standing up before their aisle is ready to disembark or while the aircraft is moving could be hit with the $70 (£53) fine by Turkish authorities.

Turkey's civil aviation authority said it hopes to move will stop antsy passengers making for the doors before the aircraft has stopped. They said passengers must remain seated even after the seatbelt sign has gone off.

Passengers regularly unbuckle on landing and queue down the aisle to get out the doors first. Germany's DPA news agency reported: "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."

This means staying put after the plane lands and taxis to the terminal. It comes as Brits are being warned about another airport duty-free rule that .

Simon Hood, travel expert and executive director of John Mason International, said this common habit can cause unnecessary travel delays when connecting between two or more separate flights to reach your destination - a practice known as self-connecting flights.

The expert is urging people to resist from opening their duty free goods until reaching their final destination.

Most holidaymakers like to take advantage of the VAT-free deals on everything from alcohol to perfumes. However, breaking the seal on duty-free bags or losing the receipt to your bottle of fizz could result in an item seizure by airport staff, the expert warns.

He said: "In duty-free, there's a reason why store assistants put your items in clearly labelled bags and provide you with a receipt. It's an evidential mark you haven't bought unauthorised liquids or goods on your trip and into the airport.

"Breaking duty-free seals before you clear customers and arrive at your destination could result in an item seizure. Airport security in stricter countries like Australia or are especially known to scrutinise duty-free purchases."

According to the team John Mason International at the "safest bet" is to avoid removing duty-free seals in the airport, and in the airport of the connecting flight.

The warning comes as ICF revealed that more than 55 million tourists took self-connecting flights last year, with the numbers expected to rise this year, marking that means of holiday travel is becoming more popular with UK holidaymakers.