In the cockpit of a commercial airliner about to depart Berlin for Paris, the plane’s soft-spoken young American co-pilot, Tobias (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), runs through the preflight checklist with the German pilot, Michael (Carlo Kitzlinger). Tobias’ flight-attendant girlfriend, Gökce (Aylin Tezel), comes in to chat briefly with him about preschools for their son before preparing the passengers for takeoff.

But what starts out as a routine day on the job quickly turns into a life-or-death struggle when terrorists determined to take control of the plane force their way into the cockpit. Armed with knives fashioned from broken glass, they stab Michael and slash Tobias’ arm. Amid the chaos, Tobias manages to subdue one of the hijackers and push another back into the cabin, locking the door behind him.

With Michael barely conscious, a terrified Tobias contacts air traffic control to arrange an emergency landing in Hanover. Infuriated, the terrorists in the cabin threaten to kill a passenger unless Tobias lets them back into the cockpit, which — following airline protocol — he refuses to do. But when the hijackers make good on their promise and then take a crew member hostage, this ordinary man’s resolve is put to an excruciating test.