I've had a quick look and I'm not sure this has been discussed anywhere yet, but we know that this happened in the original timeline:

"Approximately six hours into the flight, Flight 815 encountered problems with their radio. Having lost contact with ground control, the pilot decided to alter course and "turn back" towards Fiji. Approximately two hours later, having traveled more than 1000 miles off their planned course, the plane hit turbulence, which eventually resulted in the plane's crash."From Lostpedia.

So what happens in the flash-sideways timeline? When we zoom out of the planes window in 'LA X' we go underwater and see the sunken island. So did the plane travel a 1000 miles off-course in this timeline as well? If so why was there no mention of the problems? Apart from the turbulence everything seemed quite normal.

Is it possible that the island was in a different location in the flash-sideways timeline? Any thoughts on this? :)

Good point, I can't think of an explanation. From my own jaded view point, I assume that they didn't think about it, and just wanted to have a similar situation to in season 1, but with a twist, I think it is a balls up basically

I've had a quick look and I'm not sure this has been discussed anywhere yet, but we know that this happened in the original timeline:

From Lostpedia.

So what happens in the flash-sideways timeline? When we zoom out of the planes window in 'LA X' we go underwater and see the sunken island. So did the plane travel a 1000 miles off-course in this timeline as well? If so why was there no mention of the problems? Apart from the turbulence everything seemed quite normal.

Is it possible that the island was in a different location in the flash-sideways timeline? Any thoughts on this? :)

if i remember correctly the camera goes out jacks window directly into the ocean...then travels along the ocean floor for a bit before getting to he underwater island...

i guess we could chalk this up to the camera traveling very fast?

Yeah that's what I initially thought, but the camera really doesn't go 1000 miles. If you re-watch it, the camera goes out the window, then straight down into the water, then almost straight away just after a few seconds, you start to see huts etc, so the island was almost directly below them as they were flying

I don't think the camera travels that far either.

Pilot, Part 1.


PILOT: How long has it been?
JACK: Sixteen hours.
PILOT: Sixteen? Has anybody come?
JACK: Not yet.
PILOT: Six hours in, our radio went out. No-one could see us. We turned back to land in Fiji. By the time we hit turbulence, we … we were a thousand miles off course. They're looking for us in the wrong place.

I can't see how any of the above corrolates with what we saw in LA X, unless Norris was simply wrong. Maybe the EM screwed with the navigation systems as well as the radio and the plane went round in circles and never was where Norris thought it was. I came to thinking about the raft at the end of season one - it couldn't escape from the island's influence. Perhaps the same was true of 815.

The island moves. If the island stopped moving when it sank, then it wouldn't necessarily be in the same place as it was in regular-2004. So, alt-815's flight path took it over the spot where the island sank circa 1977, which is different from where the island was located in regular-2004.

The island moves. If the island stopped moving when it sank, then it wouldn't necessarily be in the same place as it was in regular-2004. So, alt-815's flight path took it over the spot where the island sank circa 1977, which is different from where the island was located in regular-2004.
That would be a mighty big coincidence. If that is the case, and it were for any purpose - besides just getting that particular set of shots for the opening - then I struggle to see the purpose, since the island is under water, and the plane passed over without any problem and seemingly no influence from the island, so it would be a pretty complicated coincidence for them to write in for so little pay off, story-wise. Though you may be right!

They never offered any sort of explanation for how 815 ended up in the Indian Ocean (even if it was a fake), so I'm not holding my breath for an explanation on this. At least it was in the same body of water.

the shot could have been taken anytime they were in flight from sydney to LA. no one said the island was in a specific location ever anyways.

maybe the first donkey wheel moved the island 1000 miles+ X years and it was lying under the flight path planes take for sydney-LA

or maybe they will turn another donkey wheel before the end and it will move the island to that location

I've heard about this "error"... but the Island Stopped Moving When It Sank idea works for me... that isn't all that much of a coincidence for the show... plus a lot is different in the Sideways Universe and this could be the first hint that things aren't quite right....


well... that and.. the plane not crashing...

I don't think the camera travels that far either.

Pilot, Part 1.
PILOT: Six hours in, our radio went out. No-one could see us. We turned back to land in Fiji. By the time we hit turbulence, we … we were a thousand miles off course. They're looking for us in the wrong place.

I can't see how any of the above corrolates with what we saw in LA X, unless Norris was simply wrong. Maybe the EM screwed with the navigation systems as well as the radio and the plane went round in circles and never was where Norris thought it was. I came to thinking about the raft at the end of season one - it couldn't escape from the island's influence. Perhaps the same was true of 815.
That's pretty uch what I was thinking.

Seth could have been flying on the right bearings, without knowing that he was....

"316"
ELOISE: Windows, as it were, that while open, provide a route back. Unfortunately, these windows don't stay open for very long.

which brought him into one of the windows/portals that brought them into the Island realm, when they entered the realm that's what caused the radio to go out. When they turned back they were not heading on the same bearing so they were like Michaud said flying in circles like Desmond was sailing in circles on the Elizabeth.