people started clapping just after we landed
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Dublin, Ireland
people started clapping just after we landed
I travel about 70,000 miles a year on scheduled but only recently on low cost and never on charter.
On a recent flight with a well known low cost airline I was quite amused when people started clapping just after we landed.
I couldn't decide whether it was an expression of appreciation or relief or simply well wishers accompanying one of the crew on their first flight. I had never come across it before.
On a recent flight with a well known low cost airline I was quite amused when people started clapping just after we landed.
I couldn't decide whether it was an expression of appreciation or relief or simply well wishers accompanying one of the crew on their first flight. I had never come across it before.
The Cooler King

Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Europe
It happens a lot.
"Englanders" do it a lot on charter flights to their equivalent of Mecca called Spain - if they are not too drunk to slap their hands together.
I have seen it happen in China too where pilots are advertised as "heroes".
"Englanders" do it a lot on charter flights to their equivalent of Mecca called Spain - if they are not too drunk to slap their hands together.
I have seen it happen in China too where pilots are advertised as "heroes".
Riding the Euro Gravy Plane
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Strasbourg
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.
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.
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: CHESHIRE
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.
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.
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.
Guest
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Experinced clapping, upon landing, for the first time on Alitalia Rome - Montreal in 1971. It is true it happens more on charters, but majors are not immune. AC, AF, LH Canada - Europe get it from time to time, in various degrees of enthusiasm.
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Bangkok, Thailand
It happens quite a lot on flights to holiday destinations and other charter flights.
I will never forget a time very early in BKKE's career as SLF, when I used to hop a friend's pilgimage charters to Lourdes for the duty free. On one occasion, an engine failed with a loud bang during the takeoff run and we came to an abrupt stop. Apart from me, the plane was full of pilgrims, who are normally very enthusiastic clappers. However, on this occasion, every single one of them were silent, furiously crossing themselves and offering up prayers of thanks!
I will never forget a time very early in BKKE's career as SLF, when I used to hop a friend's pilgimage charters to Lourdes for the duty free. On one occasion, an engine failed with a loud bang during the takeoff run and we came to an abrupt stop. Apart from me, the plane was full of pilgrims, who are normally very enthusiastic clappers. However, on this occasion, every single one of them were silent, furiously crossing themselves and offering up prayers of thanks!

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 728
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From: Perth WA
Lots of ppl do it after arrival in Gibraltar flying GB Airways usually for the following reasons:
Flight actually on time
No low cloud and visibility good enough for approach
Pilots manage to avoid ships in the bay
Road actually closed and no stray cars - people -footballs hit during touch down
Pilots managed to stop aircraft rolling of end of runway and into water
Breaking of aircraft on landing not gut wrenching - which sometimes it is
Sandwiches actually editable - not always the case!
Nivsy
Flight actually on time
No low cloud and visibility good enough for approach
Pilots manage to avoid ships in the bay
Road actually closed and no stray cars - people -footballs hit during touch down
Pilots managed to stop aircraft rolling of end of runway and into water
Breaking of aircraft on landing not gut wrenching - which sometimes it is
Sandwiches actually editable - not always the case!
Nivsy
Aisle seat, please.
Joined: May 2003
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From: here and there (mostly there)
It happens a lot on flights to and from Africa. There was a thread that mentioned it in the African aviation section a few months back.
I've been through a few airports where I really wanted to clap when the aircraft took off!
I've been through a few airports where I really wanted to clap when the aircraft took off!
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: king-size bed, goose feather duvet, deepest Sussex
Years ago, it always happened on the Italian flights when I worked for Monarch - Pisa, Genoa, Rome (Ciampino), Milan - when the passengers were all Italians, not British holidaymakers.
They were usually quite noisy inflight too!!!!!
They were usually quite noisy inflight too!!!!!
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: 10 west
seems to happen most of the time and on ALL the holiday destination flights.
if is for '' well we made it''... fine....
if its ''congratulations to the pilot for a landing like that ''...or''are we on the ground??''...do'nt they know we do landings like that all the time ...and we do'nt need to be clapped for it....!!!
if is for '' well we made it''... fine....
if its ''congratulations to the pilot for a landing like that ''...or''are we on the ground??''...do'nt they know we do landings like that all the time ...and we do'nt need to be clapped for it....!!!
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Dublin, Ireland
I can imagine when they permit the use of mobile phones in flight an additional safety announcement will have to be made asking passengers to put their phones down before they clap least they slip out of their hands and poke someones eye out!

Joined: May 2002
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From: LGW - Hub of the Universe!
.......but only recently on low cost and never on charter
The clapping thing is a follow-on from the days when a cap would be passed around collecting tips for the driver!
As Tight Slot says, it is rather nice, rather polite and rather British!
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: RSA
On a flight some years ago, just out of the island of Mauritius (Technical fuelling stop) on a SAA B747, we had an really “bad” engine failure and the flight returned to Mauritius………….as the a/c touched down the passenger cabin erupted in applause….one drunk passenger stood up, turned around, looked at everybody and with a straight face said…..”you people applauding….you can’t swim can you”!!!
E
E

Joined: Jul 2006
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From: STANSTED & MANCHESTER
the spanish do it alot
I have flown on lots of Low cost airlines flights to
the spanish mainland for (fag run) and every flight
the spanish pax clapped on landing
but there was one flight to italy where I felt like a pop star
I was working at STN for RYR it was the airlines first flight
to TSF when the a/c was making its way to the stand
I noticed people clapping and waving flags around the
fence area think there is a school next to the airfield
I have flown on lots of Low cost airlines flights to
the spanish mainland for (fag run) and every flight
the spanish pax clapped on landing
but there was one flight to italy where I felt like a pop star
I was working at STN for RYR it was the airlines first flight
to TSF when the a/c was making its way to the stand
I noticed people clapping and waving flags around the
fence area think there is a school next to the airfield
Last edited by daz211; 9th September 2006 at 09:09.



