Plot summary

The worst snowstorm in six years, it covering all of the northeast US and eastern Canada, is exacerbating all the problems in Mel Bakersfeld's life, he the General Manager of Lincoln International Airport in Chicago. The biggest problem caused by the storm is a Boeing 707 jet being stuck in the field effectively closing down runway two-niner, the longest of the two at the facility. Mel has had to call in expert engineer Joe Patroni on his day off to deal with that issue. But the snow is only highlighting the many other operational problems at the aging airport, his biggest critic being pilot Vernon Demerest, who just happens to be his philandering brother-in-law. Mel's sister, Sarah Demerest, knows that Vern will one day settle down to a stable home life with her, she unaware that he and current steady girlfriend, flight attendant Gwen Meighen, the two among the on-board crew of Trans Global Airlines (TGA) "Golden Argosy" Flight 2 to Rome this evening, necessarily evaluating their relationship based on some unexpected developments. The snow also focuses more of Mel's attention on work this evening, he and his wife, Cindy Bakersfeld, who are already continually arguing about he placing home second to work. Mel can admit to himself that his excuses not to go home on the best of days is due in part to his relationship with TGA customer service agent, widowed Tanya Livingston, it still at the platonic stage despite their professed attraction to each other. The issues at the airport itself take a back seat upon news from that Rome destined flight. While they knew of chronic Los Angeles residing stowaway, aged Ada Quonsett, on the flight, she always trying to find the most expedient and free way to visit her daughter in New York, which this time includes this flight to Rome, the flight and ground crews have credible suspicions that passenger D.O. Guerrero is packing a bomb in the attaché case he is keeping close to his person. Not wanting to cause a panic, they all have to find a way to make an emergency landing, which, due to the snow, may make Lincoln and runway two-niner the most viable option, that is if they get that far without Guerrero setting off the bomb and if Patroni can clear the runway of the stuck jet.—Huggo