I’ve only experienced this once when flying from JFK to San Juan PR. Just after touchdown the entire cabin erupted in applause. I figured it was a cultural thing.
I have traveled extensively on airlines, both in the USA and foreign airlines. The tradition/habit of clapping on landing is most common in former Communist countries, especially former Soviet republics, and in third world countries. Probably due to their abysmal aviation safety record, ANY landing that you can walk away from there deserves clapping. People ALWAYS clap when Aeroflot lands, without exception. A normal landing, where the airplane can be used again for an outbound flight, exceeds expectations.
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Yes, Rich, I can relate. This was not a commercial flight that I was on. We were flying from Montrose, Colorado to Dodge city Kansas. I was pilot and command of our Cessna 180 my husband, the alpha male of the group was right seat. his brother was in the back. As we went over the Rockies, we encountered a bunch of turbulence which I handled I thought pretty well, considering I never even wanted to learn how to fly… Meanwhile, the two guys were getting sick.
When we finally landed in Dodge city the two guys got out and immediately kissed the ground. All that would’ve been fine, except unfortunately there was some passengers getting on a charter flight and they all witnessed these two guys get out and kiss the ground and then the chick pilot steps out… Thanks a lot…
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Theater goers will know that often applause is a visible sign of relief that the performance is over.
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I always clap after my wife pulls the car into the garage and the door is closed.
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During Desert Storm I was in command of a 747 carrying a load of passengers from Amman Jordan to Columbo Sri Lanka. Shortly after gear retraction we heard the entire lower deck erupt in a thunderous cheer as the aircraft lifted off and the gear retracted. Very appropriate for refugees going home. Their arrival in Columbo Sri Lanka was equally enthusiastic. It was an event that I have never forgotten.
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On a airliner once that got struck by lightening shortly after takeoff, (bright flash and loud boom, kind of an attention getter even for this long time small plane pilot), and then immediately after the strike I felt the pilot doing a controls check, then I remembered strikes are no biggie I relaxed. Unlike the rest of the cattle…, so the pilot gets on the intercom and goes thru a standard spiel about how thankful he is that we chose his airline to fly, our in route time, temp at our destination, even the frigging breakfast menu! As he is signing off, he casually mentions that some of us MAY have noticed a noise and a bright light… (I laughed out loud at this, Captain Cool) and it was simply a static discharge, nothing to be concerned about. he got a big thumbs up from me, great job.
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Most people tend to remember only the negative. The chief pilot will forget your 1000 previous successful flights when he calls you in to discuss that little “incident…”
And your passengers will forget the hours of smooth and uneventful flying after you bump down on the runway…
How can we remind people of how many bumps they would have experienced crossing the country by Conestoga wagon, or crossing the ocean under sail…
Make sure you thank your cruise ship crew for not letting you expire in the belly of a shark…
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