Timeline differences

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This article describes differences between the two different timelines shown in the episode "LA X, Part 1", up until the moment that (in the original timeline) the plane broke apart. Note that this article describes circumstances in existence at or prior to the moment that, in the original timeline, the plane broke apart, even if the audience does not learn of the existence of those circumstances until later (such as the absence of the coffin, which is not revealed in the flash-sideways timeline until after the plane has landed). It should be noted that neither the flight number of the alternate timeline Oceanic Flight nor the date of that flight have been identified.

General

Oceanic Flight 815

• Original timeline : Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes on the Island.
• flash-sideways timeline: Oceanic Flight 815 doesn't crash on the Island. A plane, not identified as Oceanic Flight 815, experiences a few moments of turbulence, but then lands uneventfully at LAX.
• Original timeline : A flight attendant announces over the planes PA system that the flight is experiencing turbulence immediately before Oceanic Flight 815 crashes.
• flash-sideways timeline : No announcement is made during the turbulence; after it passes the unseen pilot reassures the passengers over the PA.
• Original timeline : Oceanic Flight 815 lost radio contact and was over 1000 miles off course (towards Fiji) during the time of crash.
• flash-sideways timeline : The flight lands uneventfully at LAX without any indication that the plane lost radio contact or was off course.

The Island

• Original timeline: Thriving with life and multiple inhabitants.
• flash-sideways timeline: Although it appears to have been inhabited at some point (the ruins of the four-toed statue and of the Barracks are shown, as well as a shark with a DHARMA logo) the entire Island is now at the bottom of the ocean.

Jack Shephard

• Original timeline: Jack obtains two bottles of vodka from Cindy and remarks that her gift must break some crucial FAA regulation. When Jack looks out the airplane window, the wing of the plane is obscured by clouds. Jack reassures Rose, as Rose is a nervous flier. Jack is sitting in row 23. Hair is cut short in a buzz-cut. He uses the pen in his jacket pocket to make an incision on the injured Edward Mars.
• flash-sideways timeline: Jack obtains only one bottle of vodka from Cindy and remarks that he will keep her gift a secret. When Jack looks out the airplane window, the wing of the plane is visible. Jack has a bleeding cut on his neck. Rose reassures Jack, as Jack is a nervous flier. Jack is sitting in row 24. Hair is longer. When trying to resuscitate Charlie, he notices the pen in his jacket pocket is missing.

Christian Shephard

• Original timeline: The coffin containing Christian's body is in the plane at the time that it crashes.
• flash-sideways timeline: When the plane lands, an Oceanic Airlines representative tells Jack that the coffin containing Christian's body which was checked in the cargo hold in Sydney is not on the plane. It is not clear whether the coffin disappeared from the plane in-flight, or whether it was never loaded onto the plane before it left Sydney.

Charlie Pace

• Original timeline: Charlie goes to the first-class restroom to use heroin. He snorts some of it and dumps the rest down the toilet right before the plane hits turbulence and crashes. His hair is shaggy and unkempt.
• flash-sideways timeline: Charlie attempts to swallow a bag of heroin in a restroom in the tail of the plane to hide it, but it lodges in his airway and he almost chokes to death before being saved by Jack and Sayid, much to Charlie's dismay. He is arrested when the plane lands. Charlie's hair is a short buzz cut.

Desmond Hume

• Original timeline: At the moment of the plane crash, Desmond is in the Swan on the Island. He failed to push the button in a timely manner, causing a system failure which triggered a magnetic surge that caused Flight 815 to break up over the Island and crash.
• flash-sideways timeline: Desmond is on the plane, and moves from his original seat to sit next to Jack while Jack is using the bathroom. Jack returns to find him sitting next to his seat, and the two struggle to remember whether or not they know each other (they never come to a conclusion that they do). When Jack returned to his seat a second time, following his treatment of Charlie outside the bathroom, Desmond had disappeared and apparently had not returned to the seat beside Jack before the plane landed. Rose (who was sitting near Jack on the plane) apparently did not see Desmond, stating she and Bernard were sleeping.

Kate Austen

• Original timeline: Kate was extremely interested in obtaining the Halliburton case since it contained Tom Brennan's toy airplane.
• flash-sideways timeline: Kate does not look at the case and leaves it in the bathroom when she knocks Edward Mars unconscious.
• "Original timeline": the Halliburton case was underneath the seats
• flash-sideways timeline: the Halliburton case was in the storage compartment above them

Rose Nadler

• Original timeline: She was nervous on the flight, Jack tried to keep her calm. She had her husband Bernard's ring, saying she always kept it for him when they flew because his fingers swelled. Charlie ran past Rose on the flight.
• flash-sideways timeline: She was the more calm one on the flight, whereas Jack was more nervous and Rose tried to keep him calm. Rose does not have Bernard's ring. Charlie does not run past Rose on the flight.

Shannon Rutherford

• Original timeline: Was on the plane.
• flash-sideways timeline: According to Boone, Shannon refused to return to Los Angeles with Boone and therefore is presumably still in Australia.

Hugo "Hurley" Reyes

• Original timeline: Frequently remarks on how unlucky he is, how he has a curse upon him and how bad things happen around him. Is not well known as the owner of Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack.
• flash-sideways timeline: Claims he is the luckiest guy alive. Does commercials as the owner and face of Mr. Cluck's, and is recognized by Arzt. Appears to have a more active interest in the management and promotion of his business holdings, complaining to someone over the phone about another company's hold on the term 'outback', possibly referring to the real-world Outback Steakhouse chain.

John Locke

• Original timeline: Locke's knives are in the checked luggage on the plane. He was told in Australia he could not go on the walkabout.
• flash-sideways timeline: When the plane lands, the airline baggage handlers cannot find the case containing Locke's knives. It is not clear whether the knives disappeared from the plane in-flight, whether they were never loaded onto the plane, or whether they have simply been misplaced by the airline. On the plane, he talks to Boone about his experiences on the walkabout; however, Locke leaves the plane in a wheelchair, leaving it unclear whether he has actually gone or is lying about the trip.

Sun Kwon and Jin Kwon

• Original timeline: Sun and Jin are unhappily married. After an aborted escape attempt, Sun joins Jin in boarding Oceanic Flight 815 for their planned vacation/business trip to Los Angeles, wherein Jin was to deliver a watch for Sun's father, Mr. Paik. Both Sun and Jin are wearing their wedding rings.
• flash-sideways timeline: Sun and Jin are not married. Sun is called Ms. Paik, not Mrs. Kwon, by the customs officer at LAX. Neither Jin nor Sun are wearing wedding rings.

Michael and Walt

• Original timeline: Michael and Walt are both aboard the plane.
• Flashsideways timeline: Neither Michael nor Walt are aboard the plane. [1]

Sayid

• Original timeline: Was from Iraq, and presumably had an Iraqi passport.
• flash-sideways timeline: Held an Iranian passport. This, however, may be a continuity error.