After 9/11, and the coordinated nature of those attacks, It could have easily justified that all airborne Translant flights were directed to land. One of AQ's plots from the 1990's (foiled thank goodness) was to simultaneously blow up Planes over the Pacific. That plot had to cross someones mind.

If I was flying at that time, I'd sure want that info so I could throw on the seat belt sign, brief the Flight attendants to keep people out of the Lavs for extended periods, and to keep a heightened awareness for weird behavior.