Here, in the air, much of what the couple said to each other seemed to be a function of some automated process, remarks generated by the nature of airline travel itself.”
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: The narrator is offering an explanation of why Jim and Tessa’s conversation on the plane is so disjointed and vapid. The nature of the conversation is the result of the couple being on a plane. This early example of technology affecting how humans interact and imagine time and space introduces the reader to one of the central ideas guiding the novel. The ubiquity of technology may enrich our lives, but it can also affect us in profound ways that are not intended. In this quote, communication itself is hollowed out by a sort of automated process.

Came out of nowhere. There is almost nothing left of nowhere. When a missing fact emerges without digital assistance, each person announces...
-- Narrator (chapter 1)