Passengers clapping after landing

[Pushka]

The pilot talked about surviving the storm, or surviving the teenage girls?

Yeah. I was thinking that was why everyone clapped too!

 

[burmans]

One landing in WLG got a clap!

I’m a Wellingtonian by birth, can tell you that when that wind is howling, clapping is quite common in WLG and for good reason.

 

[anat0l]

Clapping on landing seems rather common in Latin America.

I know several here are firmly against it and would in fact ridicule or think less of anyone who does (in jest or seriously).

I wasn't on the flight, but the QF30 incident that was diverted to Manila. A video showed the cabin all clapping when they finally touched down. I don't normally clap but I would be far from criticising anyone for doing so if they did on that landing.

I don't know if the pilots can hear it at all. What kind of noise does it take to be heard through a coughpit door?

 

[AuSammy]

I don't know if the pilots can hear it at all. ?

That was answered somewhere on AFF. Yes on 380 but no on other planes

 

[Aeryn]

Only experienced clapping in Central and South America plus Carribean (basically Latino countries). I used to find it unnerving like those local passengers were surprised we landed safely (whereas for me that is expected).

 

[anat0l]

Only experienced clapping in Central and South America plus Carribean (basically Latino countries). I used to find it unnerving like those local passengers were surprised we landed safely (whereas for me that is expected).

The way I see it is possibly a safely thing that you allude to, maybe a hark back to days when pilots might have commandeered the plane more like a cowboy pilot or in a region where planes / flights were not known to have a good safety record.

Maybe it's a "thank you" to the pilots which has become somewhat ritualistic, like a less reverant equivalent of Islamic carriers beginning their flights with a prayer to Allah.

In any case, this is why I can't find it in myself to ridicule or deride anyone who does clap on a plane's landing.

 

[Forg]

Maybe it's a "thank you" to the pilots which has become somewhat ritualistic

I believe that Sydney’s smile+nod+wave to the bus-driver, when exiting the bus, is considered as weird globally as applauding when the ‘plane lands is to us …

 

[kookaburra75]

Weeks of drunk uniformed 16yo gun-toting mini-Hitlers barking unexpected random unexplained orders at you has an unnerving effect ...

That was pretty much our experience too, bored guards looking for something to do. We were working with a UK company back then, and there were a lot of the Brit embassy staff on board. I think they were happy to be leaving

 

[Flyfrequently]

Garuda in the '80's comes to mind....

 

[Forg]

That was pretty much our experience too, bored guards looking for something to do. We were working with a UK company back then, and there were a lot of the Brit embassy staff on board. I think they were happy to be leaving

Also the general feel of danger whenever you were out trying to do something … for example, you’re in a queue for something in a shop and suited stern-faced ex-military-security stereotypes from a 90’s Hollywood movie appear & usher some Russian mafia guy to the front of the queue to pick-up their freebie.

 

[maccaisking]

I was on a plane once which gave a round of applause at pushback. It was in 2021, Melbourne was headed into another lockdown and NSW had banned arrivals who departed Vic after 4pm. I had a preplanned trip to NSW later that night, so switched to the 4pm flight (the only one I could travel to the airport and make).

Boarding was super efficient, as we taxied the flight attendant thanked us for
boarding so quickly and announced our pushback/departure time was logged as 3:56pm. There were smiles and applause all around.

 

[pauldab]

I was on a plane once which gave a round of applause at pushback. It was in 2021, Melbourne was headed into another lockdown and NSW had banned arrivals who departed Vic after 4pm. I had a preplanned trip to NSW later that night, so switched to the 4pm flight (the only one I could travel to the airport and make).

Boarding was super efficient, as we taxied the flight attendant thanked us for
boarding so quickly and announced our pushback/departure time was logged as 3:56pm. There were smiles and applause all around.

I was on the other side of that being first QF flight after months of no travel from MEL to SYD in November 2020 - walking into the terminal saw one of the biggest hullabaloos I've ever seen, TV cameras, performers - managed to walk around a pillar to by pass that cough.

 

[ayebee]

been on a couple of flights with applause on landing.
First was in 1979 on JAT (pre-Jugoslavia breakup) from Belgrade into Frankfurt.
Landing seemed perfectly normal except the cabin crew never bothered taking their seats which seemed a little strange from an OH&S perspective.

The second was late 80's flight from Stockholm into Östersund on a Friday night with a plane load planning a ski weekend in Åre. The airport was fogged in and we did 2 go arounds. Pilot announced we would try one more time and if unsuccessful we were going back to Stockholm. Down into the murk and onto the runway for many cheers and clapping.

 

[cove]

We circled Orlando and landed on the third attempt so yes everyone clapped with the safe landing. I did ask what was down there in those big loops and was told alligators snakes and spiders by the passenger sitting next to me.