Travel Roundup: Air France Pulls LAX-London, Mesa Cuts 250 Jobs and More

(MoneyWatch)  Air France pulls Heathrow-LAX flights -- Citing poor economic conditions, Air France announced it will no longer fly between Los Angeles and London Heathrow starting Nov. 6, canceling a route it introduced only six months ago. Critics say too few passengers and stiff competition from five other established carriers on the same route doomed the service. The company will reassign the aircraft to JFK in New York. [Source: LA Times, FT]

Mesa Air to cut 250 jobs, reduce flights -- Mesa Air plans on cutting 250 jobs as larger carriers cut their regional service. Mesa, a carrier based out of Phoenix, provides flights for United, US Airways and Delta. The company has 4,800 workers. [Source: Phoenix Business Journal]
NCAA tells players to go farther for deals -- The NCAA changed their travel policies for fall championships, citing higher fuel costs and pricier flights. The NCAA, which arranges and pays for athletes' travel to and from their tournaments, now say if a competition is less than 400 miles away, players must drive there (that's up 50 miles from last year.) Teams are also told to pick cheaper fares at peripheral airports up to 150 miles away. [Source: Chronicle of Higher Education, USAToday]

Atlantic City shortens smoking ban to a week -- Afraid of casino layoffs and tourism losses, Atlantic City decided to make its previously approved smoking ban on gambling floors last only a week. The city council, which can't legally stop a smoking ban that begins next Wednesday, decided to circumvent the ban by shortening it and hope to delay the ordinance for another year. Harrah's Entertainment, which owns four casinos in the city, reported that it still plans on honoring the ban. [Source: The Star-Ledger]