GOING NORTH, BUT NOT BY NORTHWEST: STRIKE ALTERS TRAVEL

          The Vikings "are keeping an anxious eye" on Northwest
     Airlines' (NWA) pilot contract negotiations, as the threat
     of an August 29 strike approaches, according to Don Banks of
     the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE.  With a negotiations reaching
     an impasse and less than two weeks left in the "mandatory
     30-day cooling-off period," the Vikings "are preparing to
     accept bids from alternate charter carriers for their first
     two regular season road games."  With the help of NWA's
     charter department, the team has "zeroed in on" Sun Country
     and Champion, two MN-based carriers.  Northwest also handles
     charter service for the Lions, Packers, Eagles, Raiders,
     Buccaneers, Patriots, Oilers and Bills (STAR TRIBUNE, 8/18).