Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (LAB), internationally known as LAB Bolivian Airlines, was the flag carrier and principal airline of Bolivia for much of the 20th century."World Airline Directory." Flight International. 21–27 March 2000. 91. "Aeropuerto Jorge Wilstermann, Cochabamba, Bolivia" It was founded on 15 September 1925 by a consortium of German-Bolivian residents and began commercial flights on 24 September between Cochabamba and Santa Cruz using a Junkers F 13.
The airline was the second oldest in South America after Avianca, and among the oldest airlines in the world. It operated scheduled domestic and international services to destinations in the Americas together with a transatlantic route to Madrid in Spain. It was headquartered in Cochabamba, having its main domestic hub at the city's Jorge Wilstermann International Airport, and international hubs at Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz and El Alto International Airport in La Paz.
History Origins
Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (LAB) was founded by German immigrants in August 1925. On 24 September 1925, the airline launched its services between Cochabamba and Santa Cruz using a single Junkers F13 aircraft.
In July 1930, Lloyd Aéreo began to serve international routes, with scheduled flights between La Paz, where it was based then, and Corumbá, Brazil. On the grounds of a co-operation agreement with Syndicato Condor, an airline catering for the German minority in Brazil, LAB passengers could connect in Corumbá on a flight to Rio de Janeiro, and vice versa. Over the following years, more destinations in Brazil were added, so that Lloyd Aéreo became the second largest airline in South America at that time, only surpassed by Avianca from Colombia. In 1932, the Bolivian government seized all of LAB's planes and staff, so that they could be dispatched for military use during the Chaco War with Paraguay.
Bolivian national airline
In May 1941, LAB was taken over by the government of Bolivia as the country's national airline and Panagra was granted a contract to administer it. In March 1960, Panagra held a 20% interest in LAB and the government of Bolivia was the major shareholder. At this time, Edmundo Gonzalez was the president of the airline and the fleet consisted of seven DC-3s, one DC-4 and six Boeing B-17s. With the Lockheed L-188 Electra joining the fleet in September 1968,Davies, R.E.G., Airlines of Latin America since 1919, London 1984, p. 329 LAB was in the position to offer non-stop international flights. A further improvement in comfort and travel times was achieved when Lloyd Aéreo acquired its first jet aircraft (of the Boeing 727 type) in 1970, allowing for the inauguration of flights to Central America and the United States.Davies (1984), p. 330
At March 1990, the airline had 1,700 employees and was 99.98% owned by the government. By this time the network, which consisted of 21 domestic destinations and 15 international ones (Arica, Asunción, Belo Horizonte, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Cuzco, Lima, Manaus, Miami, Montevideo, Panama, Rio de Janeiro, Salta, Santiago and São Paulo), was served with two Boeing 707-320C, three Boeing 727-200s, two Boeing 727-100s, one Fokker F27-600 and one Fokker F27-200.
Financial difficulties and demise
From 1994 onwards, Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano was encountering rising financial difficulties. As a consequence, the Bolivian government prepared the privatization of the airline and began to negotiate with potential buyers. On 19 October 1995, Brazilian airline VASP acquired 50 percent of the LAB shares. In an effort to cut costs, VASP aimed at a full merger of the two airlines, with a similar livery and a joint frequent flyer program as initial steps. , 49% and 48.3% of the shares were held by VASP and the Bolivian government, respectively. In 2001, VASP sold its shares in LAB back to Bolivian investors, though, due to the ongoing monetary constraints. On the other hand, in 2004, LAB was awarded shares in Ecuatoriana de Aviación, the national airline of Ecuador at that time, as a compensation for outstanding debts, which led to a codeshare agreement between the two airlines.
From 2006, Lloyd Aéreo had to cut flights because it was in bad financial shape; leased long-haul aircraft (a random mix of Airbus A310, Boeing 757, Boeing 767 or Lockheed L-1011 TriStar at that time) could not be paid for anymore. On 30 March 2007, it was decided by the Bolivian government to shut down Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano, which meant that effective on 1 April, all flight operations were suspended. In October of the same year, Boliviana de Aviación was established as new national airline of Bolivia. LAB operated a limited number of charter flights during late 2007 and early 2008, on behalf of AeroSur, but has since fully gone out of business, with its airline license officially been revoked in 2010.
Destinations During the 1930s At that time, Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano offered mostly domestic flights, each of which with several stopovers (which was normal at a time where the range of airlines was very limited compared to today's situation). The route network had two hubs: In Cochabamba, the headquarters of the airline, and in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Scheduled services were offered to the following destinations:LAB 1932 timetableLAB 1932 route map
Bolivia Cachuela Esperanza Camiri Charagua Cobija Cochabamba (hub) Guajará-Mirim Lagunillas La Paz Magdalena Oruro Potosí
Puerto Suárez Riberalta Roboré San José de Chiquitos Santa Ana del Yacuma Santa Cruz de la Sierra (hub) Sucre Tarija Todos Santos Trinidad Vallegrande Villamontes Yacuíba
Brazil Corumbá
In Corumba, passengers could connect on Syndicato Condor flights to destinations within Brazil and even to Europe. Similarly, in La Paz, connecting flights to the Peruvian towns of Arequipa and Lima were offered in co-operation with Deutsche Lufthansa Peru.1939 LAB timetable Like LAB, these airlines were aiming at the German minorities in the respective countries.
During the 1960s By then, Santa Cruz had replaced Cochabamba as the largest hub for Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (now flag carrier of Bolivia), with another one having been opened at Trinidad Airport, and international routes being offered from La Paz Airport. The domestic network had grown to extensive size, covering most airports in the country (still relying on multiple-stopover flights). More international routes had been added, with LAB now also offering flights to Chile, Argentina and Peru. The following destinations were served on a scheduled basis in 1964, using Douglas DC-3, DC-6 or Boeing B-17G (the latter being military cargo aircraft converted from a bomber, which could also accommodate passengers).
Bolivia Apolo Ascención de Guarayos Bermejo Airport Camiri Cobija Cochabamba (hub) Concepcíon Copacabana, Bolivia Guayaramerín La Paz (international focus city) Magdalena Puerto Rico Puerto Suárez Reyes Riberalta Roboré Rurrenabaque
San Borja San Ignacio de Moxos San Ignacio de Velasco San Javier San Joaquín San José de Chiquitos San Ramón Santa Ana del Yacuma Santa Cruz de la Sierra (main hub) Sucre Tarija Todos Santos Trinidad (hub) Villamontes Yacuíba, Tarija
Argentina Buenos Aires Salta
Brazil Corumbá São Paulo
Chile Arica
Peru Lima
During the 1970s During the 1970s, LAB's President Mario Patino Ayoroa developed the company's routes and made it an international player. The international network saw further expansion, most notably with the launch of scheduled flights to the United States.1970 LAB timetable1973 LAB route map1975 LAB timetable
Argentina Buenos Aires – Ezeiza Airport Salta – El Ayball Airport
Bolivia Cochabamba – Jorge Wilstermann International Airport (focus city) La Paz – El Alto International Airport (focus city) Santa Cruz de la Sierra – El Trompillo Airport (main hub) Trinidad – Trinidad Airport
Brazil Rio de Janeiro – Galeão Airport São Paulo – Congonhas Airport
Chile Antofagasta – Antofagasta Airport Arica – Chacalluta Airport Santiago – Pudahuel Airport
Panama Panama City – Tocumen International Airport
Paraguay Asunción – Presidente Stroessner International Airport
Peru Lima – Jorge Chávez International Airport
United States Miami – Miami International Airport
During the 1980s At that time, the LAB network had been consolidated, appearing more or less in the shape it would retain until the 2000s. The largest Bolivian cities were linked with destinations all over South America, as well as in the United States (international flights usually had several stopovers). International flights as well as hub-to-hub flights were operated using Boeing 727 aircraft, whilst the Fokker F-27 and the similar Fairchild F-27 were deployed on the domestic network.LAB 1987 timetableLAB 1988 timetable From 1990, Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano moved its main hub in Santa Cruz de la Sierra from El Trompillo Airport to Viru Viru International Airport.LAB 1990 timetable
Bolivia Bermejo – Bermejo Airport Camiri – Camiri Airport Cobija – Captain Aníbal Arab Airport Cochabamba – Jorge Wilstermann International Airport (focus city) Guayaramerín – Guayaramerín Airport La Paz – El Alto International Airport (hub) Magdalena – Magdalena Airport Puerto Suárez – Puerto Suárez International Airport Reyes – Reyes Airport Riberalta – Riberalta Airport Rurrenabaque – Rurrenabaque Airport San Borja – Capitán Germán Quiroga Guardia Airport San Ignacio de Velasco – San Ignacio Airport San Joaquín – San Joaquín Airport Santa Ana del Yacuma – Santa Ana del Yacuma Airport Santa Cruz de la Sierra – El Trompillo Airport (hub) (from 1990 replaced by Viru Viru International Airport) Sucre – Juana Azurduy de Padilla International Airport Tarija – Capitán Oriel Lea Plaza Airport Trinidad – Trinidad Airport Villamontes – Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Pabón Airport Yacuíba – Yacuiba Airport
Argentina Buenos Aires – Ezeiza Airport Salta – El Ayball Airport
Brazil Belo Horizonte – Pampulha Airport(Tancredo Neves International Airport from 1990) Manaus – Eduardo Gomes International Airport Rio de Janeiro – Galeão Airport São Paulo – Congonhas Airport
Chile Arica – Chacalluta Airport Iquique Santiago de Chile – Pudahuel Airport
Panama Panama City – Tocumen International Airport
Paraguay Asunción – Presidente Stroessner International Airport
Peru Cusco – Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport Lima – Jorge Chávez International Airport
United States Miami – Miami International Airport
Uruguay Montevideo – Carrasco International Airport
Venezuela Caracas – Simón Bolívar Airport
Prior to closure
During the 2000s, LAB offered scheduled flights to the following destinations:
Argentina Buenos Aires – Ministro Pistarini International Airport Córdoba – Ingeniero Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport Salta – Martín Miguel de Güemes International Airport San Miguel de Tucumán – Benjamín Matienzo International Airport
Bolivia Cochabamba – Jorge Wilstermann International Airport (hub) La Paz – El Alto International Airport (focus city) Santa Cruz de la Sierra – Viru Viru International Airport (hub) Sucre – Juana Azurduy de Padilla International Airport Tarija – Capitán Oriel Lea Plaza Airport Trinidad – Teniente Jorge Henrich Arauz Airport
Brazil Manaus – Eduardo Gomes International Airport São Paulo – Guarulhos Airport Rio de Janeiro – Galeão International Airport
Chile Santiago – Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport Arica – Chacalluta International Airport
Colombia Bogotá – El Dorado International Airport
Cuba Havana – José Martí International Airport
Ecuador Guayaquil – Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport Quito – Mariscal Sucre International Airport
Mexico Cancún – Cancún International Airport Mexico City – Mexico City International Airport
Panama Panama City – Tocumen International Airport
Paraguay Asunción – Silvio Pettirossi International Airport
Peru Cusco – Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport Lima – Jorge Chávez International Airport
Spain