Hold the applause.
A flight attendant has warned why aircraft passengers should not clap immediately after the plane lands — as they might be celebrating too soon.
An Argentinian airline crew member and TikTok creator who goes by Barbiebac revealed that travelers should never clap after the tires hit the tarmac, cautioning that accidents can still occur as long as the plane is moving.
Until the aircraft has finished taxiing and come to a complete stop, “unexpected situations can still occur,” such as failed brakes or burst tires, she warned in a TikTok video translated by The Mirror and the Bristol Post.
In the event of needing to evacuate before reaching the arrival gate, clapping could be seen as a premature celebration.
Once taxied, the TikTokker said that clapping is “a personal choice,” although other experts warned it could be seen as inappropriate.
“When the plane lands, avoid clapping as it can appear rude to the pilots, as though you’re undermining their skill,” said Gemma Brown, Travel Republic’s head of commercial, per The Mirror.
“If you want to show some love for a job well done, you can show your appreciation at the end of the flight with a polite thank you. The pilot and crew will usually wait at the exit giving you an opportunity to show your gratitude.”
While some fellow passengers might see it as a kind gesture, others might also be annoyed at the behavior.
“If the flight was overly turbulent or if the pilot had to make an emergency landing — due to passenger illness, an unruly passenger, a mechanical emergency, etc. — clapping might come across as insensitive to passengers who are shaken or upset,” former flight attendant Jacqueline Whitmore, a business etiquette expert, previously explained to Reader’s Digest.
“When traveling internationally, I suggest erring on the side of caution,” Whitmore continued. “It’s best to observe and follow the customs of other cultures.”