I don't think it's an English thing, people in the Former Soviet Union have been doing it for years though in their case it's sheer relief. Things are not as bad as they were in the FSU, I've taken a few internal FSU flights over the last 6 months (up until earlier this year my employer actually forbaid such flights) and I noticed that they had things like seat belts, cabin crew and no passengers standing in aisle because of lack of seats. Flying internally in this region in the mid 1990's really was an experience.
I have been on scheduled European flights where a few people have applauded on landing but normally they are glared at by the other passengers and soon shut up.
Ooh, only the Europeans could glare at other people expressing their enthusiam!!
I have been on flights to Greece and Spain where the pilots have been applauded on landing, so it must be a British thing too.