There's something inherently funny about the absurdity of a plane hijacking when it's played for laughs. Whether it's the ridiculousness of the hijackers' demands or the comedic chaos that ensues, these films take a typically tense situation and turn it into a laugh riot. Here's a selection of ten comedy films that will have you in stitches while you're 30,000 feet in the air, or just safely on the ground.
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
Description: Inspector Clouseau's bumbling leads to a series of comedic mishaps, including a scene where he inadvertently causes a plane to be hijacked.
Fact: This was the fifth film in the Pink Panther series and one of the most successful.
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Airplane! (1980)
Description: This film is the granddaddy of all airplane comedies. It's a spoof of the disaster film genre, where a former fighter pilot must land a commercial jet after the crew falls ill from food poisoning.
Fact: The film was initially titled "Flying High!" in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, and the Philippines. The famous line "Don't call me Shirley" was improvised by Leslie Nielsen.
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Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)
Description: Following the success of "Airplane!", this sequel sees the same characters dealing with another hijacking, this time on a space shuttle.
Fact: The film was not as well-received as the original but still has its moments of hilarity.
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The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
Description: While not exclusively about a plane hijacking, the film features a memorable scene where Frank Drebin prevents a terrorist from blowing up a plane with a bomb in his underwear.
Fact: The film was based on the short-lived TV series "Police Squad!" which also starred Leslie Nielsen.
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Hot Shots! (1991)
Description: A parody of "Top Gun" and other action films, it includes a sequence where the protagonist, Topper Harley, must save a hijacked plane.
Fact: Charlie Sheen, who plays Topper Harley, was actually trained by the same flight instructor who trained Tom Cruise for "Top Gun."
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Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)
Description: The sequel continues the spoof with another airplane-related plot where Topper Harley must rescue hostages from a hijacked plane.
Fact: The film's title is a play on the French word "deux" meaning "two," and the phrase "Part Deux" became a popular way to refer to sequels.
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The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997)
Description: Bill Murray stars as a man who thinks he's in a role-playing game but ends up thwarting a real hijacking on a plane.
Fact: The film was based on the novel "Watch That Man" by Robert Farrar.
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The Terminal (2004)
Description: While not a comedy about a hijacking per se, it involves a man stuck in an airport due to international politics, leading to comedic situations with airport security and staff.
Fact: The film was inspired by the real-life story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, who lived in Charles de Gaulle Airport for 18 years.
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The Wrong Box (1966)
Description: While primarily a comedy about inheritance, it includes a scene where a plane is hijacked by a character trying to escape with a tontine prize.
Fact: The film stars Peter Sellers and features a memorable performance by Michael Caine.
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The High and the Flighty (1956)
Description: This lesser-known British comedy involves a group of passengers on a flight to Paris who must deal with a hijacker with a peculiar sense of humor.
Fact: The film was directed by John Paddy Carstairs, known for his work in British comedy.
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