Panic in the Skies (1996): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1996, Panic in the Skies is a thriller and tv movie film directed by Paul Ziller, running about 90 minutes. “Terror at 35,000 feet, and falling.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. The cockpit of a Boeing 747 is struck by lightning during takeoff for a flight to Europe, fatally injuring the flight crew. Laurie, the senior flight attendant, enlists the aid of passenger Brett Young. They determine that the autopilot can bring the plane in for a landing, but soon learn that the autopilot is locking onto the transponders of airfields at random, including signals from small airports with runways too short to accommodate the jumbo jet. Meanwhile, federal officials on the ground who have lost radio contact with the jet debate whether the plane should be shot down to prevent a more disastrous crash in a heavily populated area.

Who’s in it. Panic in the Skies stars Kate Jackson as Laurie Ann Pickett, Ed Marinaro as Brett Young, Erik Estrada as Ethan Walker and Maureen McCormick as Flight Attendant, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 4.6/10, Panic in the Skies has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Panic in the Skies page.

If you liked it. Fans of Panic in the Skies tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.