Travel Firm Signs Deal for Flights to Hawaii

Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays of Westlake Village and American Trans Air have signed a 10-year agreement to work together.

The agreement, an extension of their earlier five-year pact, secures for Pleasant access to more than 540,000 scheduled airline seats on American Trans Air annually between Los Angeles, San Francisco and Hawaii. The deal gives Pleasant the largest air inventory among all travel companies serving the Hawaiian Islands, company officials said.

The new contract extends to 2009. During the past five years, Pleasant has carried nearly 1 million customers on ATA from West Coast cities, principally Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“With this long-term commitment, we’re elevating our investment in the future growth of travel and tourism in our 50th state, ensuring greater stability in the marketplace,” said Ed Hogan, Pleasant’s owner, founder, chairman and chief executive officer.

“ATA provides Pleasant with an effective means of remaining competitive, while bringing consumers and travel agents an important supply of airline seats on a quality carrier with a long-standing reputation of excellence.”

Each year, Pleasant will offer 351 ATA flights from Los Angeles and 403 from San Francisco to Honolulu and Maui. Pleasant now sends about 350,000 visitors a year to Hawaii, using ATA, United, Hawaiian and Delta airlines, from 260 cities nationwide.