The jet is owned by "Deppart" Airlines - which is "Trapped" spelled backwards.
There is a subtle reference to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
Not only is the pilot door signal a nearly exact copy of HAL's eye, also you hear the famous quote "I'm sorry, but I cannot do that, Dave"
The villains name "Rupert Turner" is an amalgamation of Rupert Murdoch and Ted Turner. Founders of Fox News and CNN.