The Looking Glass station most likely serves as the gateway to the "real world", which might mean the island is on a different planet, a different reality, or simply a "Bermuda Triangle" type area. Since no mention has been made about constellations being different, I tend to believe that they're still on Earth, and that the Looking Glass is simply a quicker, more efficient means of transportation. Hell, it could even be that the portal emits some energy field that disrupts other forms of navigation, explaining the plane crashes.

As for the sub, it was not used to get back to the mainland, it was simply used to get to the Looking Glass station. People would be sedated for the quick trip (think Stargate), then placed on the sub to get back to the surface and told that they'd just taken a long trip.

Only a select few make the return trip. Richard. Ethan. They are part of Ben's "inner circle". Ben tells everyone else that the Looking Glass station is flooded so that no one starts asking why they don't go there.

Can't wait for next week's finale!

when desmond didn't enter the numbers, it sent an EMP that fried the plane's circuitry. But, that sounded weird to me, too, as an EMP that can bring a plane down would certainly wipe out any electronics on the island, and the others said everything worked until the sky turned purple, which was much later. In fact, immediately after the crash, we see patchy with all the working equipment in the flame. Unless the EMP was specifically directed toward the sky?

I always assumed it was the magnetic force from the station that pulled the plane down for the reasons you just stated.

They made note that when the Swan blew the EMP blast pushed the hatch door upwards into the air, so I'd suggest when Desmond crashed the plane the EMP force either pushed upwards or downwards splitting the plane in half.

Understood and agreed, but that doesn't explain what brought down Eko's brother's plane or the recent helicopter. I think it's pretty clear that the island is away from any standard flight path, so I'm thinking there might be some more consistent reason (as opposed to an event like an EMP) that brings down aircraft passing over the island.

Yea, something is definitely going on with regards to boats and planes unable to sail around, or leave, the island but we don't know for sure if there really was a recent helicopter crash. That whole situation is still unresolved and has to be settled soon.

I personally think all of the events have more to do with the "space time continuum" qoute we heard last night and that the island is not on the same timeline as the outside world.