have you ever recieved applause?
Joined: May 2000
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From: Scotland
I'm not a pilot, but was on a flight from Gibraltar to Luton in the late '80s with a bunch of school cadets. At the start of the flight, imagine a bunch of cocky teenagers having a laugh; this lasted for most of the flight 'till we started the final approach through heavy snow and turbulence, until a nervous silence gripped the cabin for the last few miles. As we touched down there was some considerable, relieved applause! Can't remember if I joined in or not....
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From: Slovenia
A mere passenger here too. I've only heard applause upon landing once. Apart from the total solar eclipse we experienced, there was nothing unusual about the flight. I suspected that for a lot of passengers this was their first or second flight. I'm just wondering, are there still places/countries where applause (for seemingly no good reason) happens often on flights?
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From: Southwest
On my first flight with WN the FA's made a point to let the ENTIRE cabin know that it was my first flight in a 737. Received a resounding round of applause upon arrival..Even though I absolutely CRUSHED the landing.
Probably more out of relief than anything else
Probably more out of relief than anything else
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From: California
I've heard it a few times
The one I remember the most was a few years ago when we flew through the worst turbulence I have ever experianced in my life. When I talked to the crew after the flight, they agreed...so yes, it really was that bad
!!!
As soon as we landed, ever single persone on the plane (or so it seemed) was cheering like crazy.
It was pretty cool!
The one I remember the most was a few years ago when we flew through the worst turbulence I have ever experianced in my life. When I talked to the crew after the flight, they agreed...so yes, it really was that bad
!!!As soon as we landed, ever single persone on the plane (or so it seemed) was cheering like crazy.
It was pretty cool!
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From: Lulsgate regional
The only time I have seen the crew get an applause was on one of the last AF Concorde flights where the cabin crew were applauded for the saftey demo, Mach 1 received an applause as did Mach 2 and the landing (which was the smoothest landing I have ever had...)
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From: UK
Back in the early '90's, I took a Garuda 747 from FRA to BKK, so obviously most of the pax were German.
We flew through some prolonged turbulence over the Bay of Bengal (not that bad, just seemed to go on for hours).
There was quite an outbreak of applause on landing.
Perhaps this is normal behaviour from German pax, or they were just glad to have made it!
We flew through some prolonged turbulence over the Bay of Bengal (not that bad, just seemed to go on for hours).
There was quite an outbreak of applause on landing.
Perhaps this is normal behaviour from German pax, or they were just glad to have made it!
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On quiae a number of flights I have experienced other PAX applauding landings, in what have been fairly benign conditions.
It's always struck me as slightly odd, since I don't get a round of applause when I "do my job" - why should flightdeck crew be congratulated for simply "doing what they are paid for".
Incidentally, I don't think any one nation or culture is prone to this behavior - I'd seen (heard) Brits, Germans, Americans etc all doing it from time to time.
It's always struck me as slightly odd, since I don't get a round of applause when I "do my job" - why should flightdeck crew be congratulated for simply "doing what they are paid for".
Incidentally, I don't think any one nation or culture is prone to this behavior - I'd seen (heard) Brits, Germans, Americans etc all doing it from time to time.
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: London UK
Recall that on Canadian charter airlines years ago (good old Wardair) this spontaneous applause was a standard thing. Not quite sure what they were actually applauding, I found it strange.
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From: Confusio Helvetica
Passenger here -- heard it a few times, never figured out the rationale behind applauseworthy landings and not.
The most interesting case of passenger applause was a CY A320 on final to FCO. Pops through overcast and decides to go around, firewalls the engine and pulls up and hard to the right. Wham! #1 compressor stall, the whole airframe shakes like it's been hit with a baseball bat, flames shoot out both ends of the engine.
Immediately, the whole cabin broke out in thunderous applause.
The most interesting case of passenger applause was a CY A320 on final to FCO. Pops through overcast and decides to go around, firewalls the engine and pulls up and hard to the right. Wham! #1 compressor stall, the whole airframe shakes like it's been hit with a baseball bat, flames shoot out both ends of the engine.
Immediately, the whole cabin broke out in thunderous applause.
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From: Anderlecht
Germans generally used to applaud on landing with holiday dest. flights but haven't heard it for a couple of years or so .
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From: Manchester
Personally, as a passenger, I hate it when people applaud a landing! I'm about to start my commercial pilots training soon and I am considering banning all forms of applause, clapping etc on my flights. When I buy a flight ticket, I expect a landing to come with it.
Or maybe I'm a grumpy old 21 year old?!
M330
Or maybe I'm a grumpy old 21 year old?!
M330
PPRuNe Co-Pilot
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From: The Sky
It happens quite alot when i fly has a passenger to FNC - Funchal/Madeira Island ( Portugal ) 
I don't blame them, that approach can demanding during turbulence 
but it is beautiful during a calm day 
I don't blame them, that approach can demanding during turbulence but it is beautiful during a calm day
A Runyonesque Character
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From: The South of France ... Not
Way back in the 1970s a pal of mine made a trip to Moscow, at a time when Western travel there was very unusual and fraught with hassles.
On the flight back (Pan Am) the Captain announced that they were just leaving Russian airspace, at which point the cabin broke out in a huge cheer.
On the flight back (Pan Am) the Captain announced that they were just leaving Russian airspace, at which point the cabin broke out in a huge cheer.
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From: North Lincolnshire
Late 80s/early 90s living in Berlin I took a few holidays involving charter flights various destinations in the Med area and recall being very surprised the first time when on landing all the pax started to applaud. It seemed to happen on every landing, both outbound and on return, and so far as I could tell did not seem to reflect the performance of the crew (either good or bad). I was told that it was a peculiarly German thing and was certainly still going on in about 1993.
Red On, Green On
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From: Between the woods and the water
Way back in the days of the cold war the UK would have a five-yearly excercise to mobile a large part of the TA (army reserves) and get them out to (West) Germany. We used to be processed through Windsor Barracks and then bussed to a temporary terminal on the S side of LHR.
Imagine an entire regiment of young, fit (ironically we were an airborne unit) men on a 747. The lovely BA lasses got a round of applause just for the safety brief, and then plenty of attention for the rest of the 100 minute flight. Can't think why they preferred us to grumpy business men and crying babies.
They were happy too, since they were a long haul crew, and so they got several rest days after completing 2 SH sectors.
Imagine an entire regiment of young, fit (ironically we were an airborne unit) men on a 747. The lovely BA lasses got a round of applause just for the safety brief, and then plenty of attention for the rest of the 100 minute flight. Can't think why they preferred us to grumpy business men and crying babies.
They were happy too, since they were a long haul crew, and so they got several rest days after completing 2 SH sectors.