All the terminal, ticket desk, insurance desks, and outside ground ops of the Boeing 707 scenes were all filmed at MSP during the week of Feb 14, 1969. The Trans Global ticket counter was actually in a empty space next to the exit that leads to the passenger drop off ramp right across from our ticket counter instead of in one of the concourses. Also at the end of the movie where the pilots are looking at the damage to the plane on the outside, that was taken in one of the old Northwest hangars. All the other scenes were filmed in Hollywood.
In the opening scene, there is one extremely brief shot of people by their cars in the snow covered parking lot. That shot was taken at ORD. Where that lot was is now a multilevel parking garage. There are numerous references to Chicago in the movie. For instance when Joe Patroni gets stuck in traffic, he gets stuck on Manheim Rd, which runs right next to ORD (Chicago O'Hare).
My favorite person in the movie was Dana Wynter. I thought she played the "rich bitch" to the hilt. Did anyone know that she is a German actress? I never would have guessed.
When I saw that movie, my mind was made up. I was going to follow in my fathers footsteps and become a pilot.
That movie was very well researched. No real major technical mistakes. On takeoff and final approach the cockpit conversation was amazingly real, however abbreviated. I always wanted to fly a 707, but they were already retired from service by the time I had enough experience and seniority to do so.
