Northwest Strike Could Hurt Other Carriers

Travelers who think they wouldn’t be affected if mechanics strike Northwest Airlines could be in for a surprise. If they are booked on Continental Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines or any of more than a dozen other carriers that are Northwest code-share partners, Northwest might be the carrier operating their flight. Terry Trippler, an airline expert with the Web travel broker OneTravel.com, issued an alert to clients warning that they should be aware that their plans could be disrupted if Northwest’s mechanics, cleaners and custodians strike. Representatives of Northwest and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Assn. return to the bargaining table with federal mediators today in Washington in another attempt to reach a contract agreement. At last report, the sides were more than $1 billion apart on a three-year contract. A 30-day cooling-off period ends at 12:01 a.m. EST Monday, which would leave nearly 10,000 AMFA members free to strike.