In 1955, a small Icelandic airline, 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.'

In 2017, Mike Lanchin spoke to Edda Helgason, whose father, Sigurdur Helgason, launched the ambitious scheme, and Hans Indridason, who ran the company's sales and marketing department at the time.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

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(Photo: Icelandic Airlines plane, with passengers disembarking, 1965. Credit: Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images)

The first budget transatlantic flights

Witness History