Loftleiðir Icelandair

another company called loftleiðir had been formed in 1944 3 young pilots returning flight training in canada. company, name means skyways , concentrated on icelandic domestic air services first few years. first aircraft used 2 stinson reliants, , grumman goose amphibious aircraft.

at first, loftleiðir, flugfélag Íslands, concentrated on domestic air services. loftleiðir began scheduled international operations in 1947.

by 1952, icelandic authorities worried fierce competition between both icelandic airlines ruin both companies, , attempted force merger between them. did not happen @ time, instead authorities split domestic routes between 2 airlines. result, loftleiðir ceased domestic flights in iceland entirely, concentrating instead on international flights. loftleiðir s pioneering low-fare services across north-atlantic commenced in 1953. in way, loftleiðir can considered sort of precursor of low-cost carriers started operating in 1970s. made popular airline travel between europe , north america.

the late 1960s exciting time loftleiðir. in 1969 company acquired international air bahama, small airline operating douglas dc-8 jet aircraft out of bahamas transatlantic nonstop service between nassau , luxembourg, , year later loftleiðir became 1 of founders of cargolux, cargo airline. in 1970, loftleiðir entered jet age first 2 douglas dc-8 aircraft.

during years, loftleiðir referred to, company s own staff, hippie airline or hippie express . loftleiðir not famous speed or punctuality, flying company became sort of rite of passage young hippies america travelling europe, 1 of whom future president of united states bill clinton.