Corrected entry: In the scene at the end where Cusack and Thornton stand on the runway: the airport shown looks like it is in the middle of the desert - anyone in the airline industry knows that a 747 would never land at a tiny airport in the middle of nowhere.
Corrected entry: When Billy Bob Thornton first arrives at the control centre and is being shown around by the boss, listen carefully as the boss appears to call him Bill before saying they should get started on his paperwork.
Correction: He actually addresses him by the character's last name, which is Bell.
Correction: 747s aren't used exclusively for passenger transport. As the current largest aircraft, they are preferred for long-haul cargo. Cargo aircraft often land outside of major hubs. Example: Airborne Express in Wilmington, OH. There's not a major anything for at least 40 miles around. Beyond that, the "airplane graveyards" are primarily located in the middle of the desert (AZ), and large aircraft such as the L1011 Tristar / DC-10 / 747s / whatever, land at these locations for retirement or storage quite frequently.