Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano v1.0

Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano v1.0

Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano S.A.M. (abbreviated LAB and internationally known as LAB Airlines), was the flag carrier and principal airline of Bolivia from 1925 until it ceased operations in 2010. Before its demise it was headquartered in Cochabamba and had its main hubs at Jorge Wilstermann International Airport and Viru Viru International Airport.Founded in September 1925, it was the second oldest airline in South America after Avianca and one of the oldest airlines in the world.

Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (LAB) was founded by German immigrants in August 1925. The name was chosen after the British insurance market Lloyd’s of London for its image of safety and security. 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.

Many thanks to Carlos Castedo who made this request.

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