THE SIDELINES : Soviet Planes Flying to Goodwill Games Intercepted Over Alaska

Three Soviet planes have arrived in Seattle for the Goodwill Games, but not before surprising the U.S. Air Force, which was expecting them a day later and had to scramble jets to intercept them over Alaska.

An Ilyushin-62 passenger plane carrying Goodwill Games visitors and alternative Soviet art, accompanied by two SU-27 military jet fighters, left the Soviet Union today.

The planes had been delayed a day from leaving Moscow, then delayed again when they stopped to refuel in the Soviet Far East.

The Ilyushin had been cleared to leave Wednesday, but its two escorts had permission for today, said Nina Walsh, Soviet-born wife of Bob Walsh, president of the Seattle Organizing committee. She was a passenger on the airliner. The pilots took a chance, and all three planes left the Soviet Union today, crossing over at a remote strategic point where communications aren’t good, she said.

The problem was that, when they crossed the international date line, they dropped back to Thursday--the day before they had been permitted entry to the United States.

U.S. fighter planes intercepted them about 100 miles northwest of Nome, Alaska, and escorted them to Elmendorf Air Force Base near Anchorage.

“We knew what they were when we went up to get them,” Capt. Monica Aloisio, spokeswoman for the Air Force, said of the Soviet planes. “But we were expecting them tomorrow.”