"San Francisco International Airport" serves as the pilot film for the series, which is part of NBC's Four in One Package on Wednesday nights. The show stars Van Johnson, Pernell Roberts, Tab Hunter, Nancy Malone, and David Hartman, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the drama that unfolds at a major airport. In the pilot movie, a group of passengers becomes entangled in an airport robbery. For the series, Lloyd Bridges will portray the airport manager, who often finds himself caught up in similar situations. Clu Gulager will reprise his role as the security chief in both the pilot and the series. The pilot has a runtime of 2 hours.

Airport manager Jim Conrad must secure the arrival and layover of a controversial general who is the target of demonstrators and a lone assassin.