[ops33]

The article doesn’t say at what point in the flight Air Traffic was unable to contact the aircraft. Ordinarily, the enroute controller would hand the aircraft off to the apporach controller and begin the descent to land about 40 - 60 miles from the destination. We also don’t know what air traffic facility had control of the aircraft, Minneapolis Center or Minneapolis approach control. If the handoff was already completed from Center to approach control the aircraft’s speed would have been reduced.

[Sacajaweau]

Since the jets weren't called in and they weren't shot down and they are going to testify almost immediately and the stewardesses weren't in a frenzy and the passengers weren't in a frenzy and no one who greeted the passengers were in a frenzy, I'd say this was a planned event.

Oh, the poor media...left out of the loop....