Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) is the flag carrier of Bolivia and the largest airline in the country. It was founded in 1925 as Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (LAB) and is the oldest airline in South America.
The airline's first flight took place on October 7, 1925, when LAB flew from La Paz to Oruro. Initially, the airline operated with a fleet of single-engine De Havilland DH-9s and DH-9A biplanes. In 1936, LAB acquired two Lockheed Model 10 Electras from Pan American World Airways and later added two more in 1941.
During the 1950s, LAB was struggling financially and the Bolivian government took control of the airline in 1950, renaming it Bolivian Air Lines. The government then bought two Douglas DC-3s in 1953 and the airline flew its first international flight in 1955, from Cochabamba to Buenos Aires.
In the 1960s, Bolivian Air Lines acquired Douglas DC-6s and started a route to Miami. In 1968, the airline changed its name to Aerolíneas Bolivianas and acquired Boeing 727s, allowing them to expand their international routes.
In the 1970s, Aerolíneas Bolivianas acquired their first Boeing 737s and started their first domestic route from La Paz to Santa Cruz. In the 1980s, the airline acquired more Boeing 737s and started international routes to Miami, Houston, Buenos Aires, and Caracas.
In 1997, Aerolíneas Bolivianas changed its name to Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) and started a new domestic route from La Paz to Sucre. BoA has also acquired more Boeing 737s and Bombardier Q400s to expand its fleet and routes.
In the 2000s, BoA started to expand its international routes and signed a codeshare agreement with American Airlines in 2008. In 2011, the airline inaugurated its first long-haul international route to Madrid.
In 2016, BoA became the first Latin American airline to operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. BoA has also acquired Airbus A319s, A320s, and A340s to further expand its fleet.
Throughout its history, Boliviana de Aviación has had several incidents involving its aircraft. In 2006, a BoA Boeing 737-200 crashed on approach to El Alto International Airport, killing all 18 people on board. In 2011, a BoA Boeing 737-300 was damaged after it overran the runway at El Alto International Airport.
In 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation opened an investigation into BoA for alleged violations of its consumer protection regulations. BoA was also fined by the Bolivian Civil Aviation Authority for several safety violations.
Today, Boliviana de Aviación is the largest airline in Bolivia and one of the largest in South America. The airline operates a fleet of over 30 aircraft and flies to more than 50 destinations in South America, North America, Europe, and Africa.
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