Alcoholic pilot, Ted Striker has developed a fear of flying due to wartime trauma, but nevertheless boards a passenger jet in an attempt to woo back his stewardess girlfriend. Food poisoning decimates the passengers and crew, leaving it up to Striker to land the plane with the help of a glue-sniffing air traffic controller and Striker's vengeful former Air Force captain, who must both talk him down.
The plot involves a couple in love and one woman’s attempt to fly to Paris to get her lover back from a business trip and marry him. On the way she unknowingly smuggles something of value that has a petty thief chasing her across France as she chases after her future husband.