This episode was not fully approved until the Thursday before it first aired.
A cutaway shows Stewie on a date with Marlee Matlin, who he criticizes when she can't hear her own farts this is a reference to the fact that Marlee Matlin is deaf. 5 years later, Marlee Matlin would start voicing a recurring character on the show.
When Glenn is talking the plane down, the music is from the movie "Airplane"
The title is based on the series of Airport disaster movies that began with Airport (1970) that were based on the novel "Airport" by Arthur Hailey.