Lloyd Aereo Boliviano

Lloyd Aereo Boliviano, known also as LAB Airlines, was established in 1925 when German residents in Bolivia donated an aircraft so the Bolivian government could begin establishing a national airline. The name was chosen after Lloyd's of London for its image of safety and security, although the two firms are not related.

Over the past 80+ years ownership of Lloyd changed hands multiple times, but the company continued to operate offering international flights to the country’s three major cities Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and La Paz and national flights between various cities throughout the country. Miami was the major hub for LAB Airlines flights between Bolivia and the U.S. and offered direct flights to La Paz and Santa Cruz and indirect flights to Cochabamba.

The company was almost always in financial trouble of one sort or another and despite various different owners, management companies, and restructuring efforts, just could not seem to get its financial act together.

The airport in La Paz is the highest airport in the world and first-time visitors often suffer from altitude sickness upon arrival (shortness of breath, headaches and nausea). It also tends to be very cold. Passengers disembarking to go through customs often suffer these high altitude symptoms.

From my own experience, Lloyd Aereo Boliviano was safe and its pilots are experienced in flying over the Andes. The flight attendants were usually professional and courteous. However, LAB flights were often delayed or suspended and the airline overbooked international flights too frequently (usually without apology or explanation) and all too often without offering travel alternatives.

Over the past 30 years I noticed the company offered much MUCH better service when it is a privately owned, NOT nationalized airline. The government ordered LAB to cease operating in early 2007 because the company was in financial trouble and owed the government (which is also a partial owner of the airline) millions in taxes.

Talks of reorganizing and re-initiating operations had all but ceased by late 2007 and it appears LAB is now just part of Bolivia's history. President Evo Morales announced soon after that the Bolivian government would start up a new nationalized (fully government-owned) airline. When this occurs officially, we will post information on it.

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