An illustration image of African and European passengers clapping joyfully inside a plane after landing.
Anyone who has flown often has witnessed this moment: the
plane touches down, the cabin shakes lightly, and before the engines even
finish their growl, a few passengers burst into applause. Sometimes it’s just
two or three people. Other times, half the plane joins in.
I’ve seen it on flights across Africa, Europe, and the
Caribbean, and the reactions are always the same: some passengers clap with
genuine relief, while others stare ahead as if pretending nothing is happening.