Given the timing and the context, and the fact that I’m reading a heavily paranoid thriller make me think that there is no way this flyover could have just been a mistake.  Not with the concurrent story of swine flu dominating the press.

The purpose of such a thing would, of course, be to give everyone (in NYC) getting ready to panic about swine flu a little reminder.  You don’t just want to control people – you need to control their emotions.