Bivši vojni pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays) nije letio od rata, kada je njegova pogrešna presuda dovela do desetkovanja njegove eskadrile. Sada ima problema s pićem (stalno promašuje usta), a njegova djevojka – stjuardesa Elaine Dickinson (Julie Hagerty) – ostavila ga je. U očajničkoj želji da mu se vrati, Ted je slijedi na njezin idući let… koji strahovito pođe po zlu kada se cijela kabinska posada otruje hranom usred leta! Uz pomoć Elaine, flegmatičnog doktora Rumacka (Leslie Nielsen) i njegova bivšeg neprijatelja Rexa Kramera (Robert Stack) u zračnoj kontroli, Ted će hrabro pokušati sretno prizemljiti avion. No ima li još ono potrebno?

Two air traffic controllers who thrive on living dangerously compete to outdo each other on several levels.

For her upcoming exhibition, "Apology," Lily, a New York conceptual artist, is designing a sound and sculpture installation inspired by the testimony of anonymous phone callers who, after responding to a public advert inviting them to spill their guts, leave messages on her answering machine. When one caller confesses to a murder, Lily begins to suspect that the mystery man may be intending a little "performance" of his own: her death.