Alaska Airlines ending several California routes

Alaska Airlines is ending service on several California routes as it looks to both cut underperforming routes and harmonise its schedule with merger partner Virgin America. Four routes are from San Francisco, where non-stops to Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Mexico City will end by mid-June. Another San Francisco route — to Cancun — ended this month. Two routes from Southern California — Los Angeles-Orlando and San Diego-Mexico City — will be discontinued by summer. The adjustments come as the lucrative California market has become increasingly competitive, especially since Alaska Airlines’ acquisition of Virgin America made it one of the top carriers in the state. Alaska Airlines said the changes don’t indicate a pullback. <br/>