I was thinking along those lines too. There is discussion elsewhere about a lot of our Losties had someone instrumental in getting them on that specific flight. If I am correct, Sawyer was being shipped back to the states by the Po Po, they got him his ticket. Claire's psychic told her it had to be that flight. Sayid's cia people got him on that flight? Sun wasn't supposed to be on that flight, she was supposed to run out the door and get in the waiting car. The walkabout company got Locke the flight. Maybe Hurley didn't barely make his flight, maybe they were waiting for him. Heck maybe Christian was killed so that Jack would be ready to leave asap instead of arguing with his dad possibly delaying his return date. I think Brian arranged Michael and Walt's flight.... I think there is a big conspiracy thing by big powerful somebodies going on, and I don't think those somebodies have anything to do with the Others. Remember they were surprised by the crashing plane. And Locke said something to Jack about 'Do you think this is all coincidence?' So this flight was arranged/staged to get these specific people on board and the pilot purposefully flew them toward the island.