Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano
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Lloyd Aereo Boliviano (LAB Airlines) is the national and international passenger airline of Bolivia. Its IATA code is LB.
Lloyd Aereo Boliviano started out on September 15, 1925, when it was founded in Cochabamba by Guillermo Kyllman. The airline's name was Lloyd Aereo Boliviano S.A.. The name was chosen after Lloyd's of London for its image of safety and security (though the two firms are not related).
The airline's first airplane, a Junkers F-13, came as a present from the German community in Bolivia.
Lloyd Aereo Boliviano first flew internationally in July of 1930, with planes used by Brazilian airline Syndicato Condor Ltda., between Corumbá, Brazil and Rio de Janeiro. Lloyd Aereo Boliviano used their own plane on the route from La Paz and Rio de Janeiro, and La Paz to Corumbá. With this, Lloyd Aereo Boliviano and Condor Ltda. had a commercial agreement.
Lloyd Aereo Boliviano, which was South America's second commercial airline, after Colombia's Avianca, soon increased their flights to the Brazilian destinations, and their fleet began to grow too.
During 1932, Lloyd Aereo Boliviano had to lend its planes and personnel to the Bolivian government, to help during the so called Chaco War (Guerra Del Chaco), a war which became an important part of the country's history.
Lloyd Aereo Boliviano had to be reorganized and nationalized in 1942 by the government, and it began a period of growth by means of expansion, new airplanes and destinations.
In 1950, the airline was awarded with the Condor de los Andes, given to Bolivian companies by the government.
In 1970, Lloyd Aereo Boliviano joined the jet age, acquiring their first Boeing 727. With jets, Lloyd Aereo Boliviano was allowed to fly to more markets in Central America, to the United States and to Spain.
But in 1994, Lloyd Aereo Boliviano ran into economic trouble, and the government had to start looking for potential buyers. Under those desperate measures, they had to look for international interests to step in, and on October 19 of 1995, VASP, a Brazilian airline, stepped up, buying 50 percent of the company, and signing an administrative contract. Subsequently the fleet was painted to resemble that of VASP's, and it introduced a frequent flyer program. VASP sold its shares of Lloyd back to Bolivian investors in 2001.
The current fleet is equipped with the Boeing 727, Boeing 737, Boeing 767, Airbus A310, and Fokker F27 .
Other facts of interest
- Lloyd Aereo Boliviano was featured in a chapter of the Saul Lisazo and Victoria Rufo telenovela Vivo por Ella. Rufo's character flew from Mexico City to New York. LAB apparently lent an airplane to the soap opera's producers, since the airline does not fly that route, but the seats of the plane used to film the scene where Rufo flew had LAB's logo and name printed.