What does a pilot really mean when you clap for him after the plane touches down?
While flight passengers might try to show gratitude for a safe landing, some say the act might offend or come across as rude to those flying the plane.
In a recent article, Rosie Panter, travel expert from Dealchecker, a travel comparison website, commented on the ritual of flying.
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“Applause. Two words. No and no,” Panter told Britain’s Daily Express newspaper.
This simple act of appreciation and gratitude may offend your pilots after landing. (iStock)
“If you had a particularly difficult flight and a difficult landing, maybe a light applause or thanks to the pilot as you leave, but no scheduled flight … should result in applause. Let’s leave it in the past.”
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The airline’s lead pilot, who asked not to be named for privacy reasons, had the opposite reaction.
“[There are] different reasons why people clap in unison on an airplane. You know, it might be time for a break,” she told Fox News Digital.
Two major airline pilots said there’s nothing wrong with clapping after a “nice” landing. (iStock)
“Or it could be like super turbulent, windy, you know, like everybody’s holding their breath and landing, and then it lands, and it’s beautiful and then everybody’s clapping too,” the pilot added.
Another airline pilot, who also wished to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital: “I mean, to be honest… there’s like a secret little guilty pleasure, isn’t there?”
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truth, pilots I can’t always hear the applause of the passengers because of the size of the plane and the distance between the cockpit and the flight deck.
Pilots can’t always hear the clap because of how big the plane is and how far the cockpit is from the cabin. (iStock)
There is a sense of artistry when it comes to landing a plane smoothly, and applause can be seen as a way of acknowledging that beautiful performance, the pilots said.
“I think it’s closer when you applaud someone who’s performing, as a matter of politeness,” said one.
“They’re doing their job, of course, but people are still clapping, saying, ‘Hey, you’re doing a good job.'”
One etiquette expert said applause was unnecessary because the pilots were just doing their job. (iStock)
An etiquette expert told the Daily Express that clapping can be considered disrespectful.
“Applause is unnecessary after landing and is rude to the pilots,” an expert told the newspaper.
“If the landing is good, the applause suggests surprise at such skill. If the landing is bad, the applause would be insultingly sarcastic.”
But it seems that not all etiquette experts agree.
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Jacqueline Whitmore, former flight attendant and Etiquette expert based in Florida, said that this interpretation of the applause was “completely untrue”.
One thing you should avoid saying to a pilot is, “Thank you for a safe flight.” Instead, praise the flight [crew] and thank them for making it enjoyable.” (iStock)
“I disagree with the experts who say it’s rude and disrespectful to clap after a safe landing,” Whitmore told Fox News Digital.
“Passengers are simply showing their appreciation for the pilot’s skill in landing the plane safely.”
While clapping isn’t necessarily something pilots dislike, there are other comments from passengers that pilots don’t appreciate.
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“However, my least favorite thing to hear from passengers is ‘Thank you for a safe flight,’ because I think that’s something. That’s my goal,” said one pilot.
Jacqueline Whitmore, a former flight attendant and etiquette expert, not pictured, said it’s always respectful to thank the pilot as you exit the plane. (iStock)
“I want a safe flight too. I’m on this plane too. I want to get home to my family just as much as you do.”
There are other things you can say to pilots to show your respect or appreciation, one pilot told Fox News Digital.
Thanks to the pilot for a “pleasant flight” or a great landing.
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You can also thank the pilot as you exit the aircraft.
Whitmore agreed that these acts of gratitude are good forms of etiquette.
One tip is to thank your pilot after landing to show your appreciation. (iStock)
“If you have the opportunity to stand in a doorway, most people are staring at their phones, [and] they don’t even recognize that there’s actually a pilot standing at the door because they’re so focused on where they’re going,” said the plane’s pilot.
“So I enjoy any kind of engagement where you can say, ‘You’re welcome’ or ‘Thank you very much.'”
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Dealchecker for comment.
