Original version

BBC World Service Online

Witness History

Podcasts

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: History

History as told by the people who were there

History as told by the people who were there.

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Witness History: The First Budget Flights Across the Atlantic

Magazines & Reviews

News

The First Budget Flights Across the Atlantic

26/06/2017 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, The First Budget Flights Across the Atlantic

How a small Icelandic company broke the mould in air travel in the 1950s.

In 1955 a small Icelandic airline slashed the cost of flying across the Atlantic. It was known as the 'Hippie Express.'

In 1955 a small Icelandic airline called Loftleioir Icelandic slashed the cost of flying across the Atlantic. For the first time thousands of young Americans were able to afford air travel to Europe on what became known as the 'Hippie Express.' Mike Lanchin speaks to Edda Helgason, whose father Sigurdur Helgason, launched the ambitious scheme, and to Hans Indridason, who ran the company's sales and marketing department at the time. 

Photo: An Icelandic Airlines advertisement from May 1973, in New York's Fifth Avenue (US National Archives)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Witness History

The First Budget Flights Across the Atlantic

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Online

About BBC World Service