site.btaPassengers from Georgia, Bulgaria Clap the Most After Landing, Wizz Air Study Finds

A new survey by Wizz Air shows that 70% of Bulgarian passengers clap when their plane lands, making them some of the most enthusiastic air travellers in Europe.

Why do some passengers break into applause after landing while others remain silent? The tradition of clapping on airplanes has long divided travellers, sparked debates in aviation circles, and even become the subject of jokes among frequent flyers. To better understand this phenomenon, Wizz Air conducted an international survey, gathering responses from more than 4,500 passengers and 150 members of cabin crew across its network.

The results reveal striking cultural differences. In Hungary and Romania, about 47-48% of passengers clap upon landing, while in countries such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Serbia the figure drops below 30%. Georgia tops the list with 75% of passengers applauding after touchdown, followed closely by Bulgaria, where 70% admit they still take part in the tradition.

Applause is most common on holiday flights and among infrequent travellers. About 70% of passengers who fly only once a year clap upon landing, compared with 59% of those who travel several times annually and just 40% of the most frequent flyers - those taking more than 10 flights per year.

When asked why they clap, passengers most often cited the relief of a safe and comfortable arrival, a reason particularly common in Central and Eastern Europe (34%). Others said it was an expression of gratitude to pilots and crew, while in Western Europe applause was more often seen as recognition of professional skill (28%). Interestingly, around 20% admitted they clap simply because other passengers around them are doing it.

Younger travellers tend to applaud more often: 64% of passengers aged 18-24 clap, compared with 50% in the 25-34 group, 54% among those aged 35-44, and 57% of passengers aged 45-64.

Cabin crews, however, report that the practice is gradually fading. Two-thirds of surveyed crew members said clapping after landing has become less common in recent years. Still, they note that the most enthusiastic applause comes from passengers in Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, and Italy.

Dayana Georgieva, Wizz Air’s Ambassador for Bulgaria, confirmed the findings. She explained that around 70% of Bulgarian travellers applaud after landing, describing it as a custom with decades of history: as early as the 1960s and 70s, clapping was common on charter flights across Europe. “Bulgaria is one of the few places where this tradition is still alive,” she said. “For us, it’s a simple but meaningful gesture, a reminder that, even though air travel has become routine for many, in Bulgaria people still see flying as an experience worth celebrating,” Georgieva noted.