 As a non-member, Loftleiðir, or Icelandic in English, (as the company was then known) was able to significantly undercut other transatlantic carriers' pricing, and it began service from New York to Luxembourg in 1955.According to Gudjon Arngrimsson, Icelandair's current Vice President for Corporate Communication, Helgason was a "very key player" in the strategy.Helgason managed the American operations of the company from 1961 to 1973.