FLYING BACK in time to the 1950s, we find that state-owned Linea Aeropostal Venezolana (LAV) and private-owned AVENSA (VE) led the Venezuelan commercial aviation scene. AVENSA began serving its first international destinations: Montego Bay and Miami in 1955, New Orleans in 1958, and Aruba in 1960. LAV, though, was facing mounting losses, and its Lockheed Constellations, which were used on services to Miami and New York, were about to become obsolete with the start of the jet age. In August 1959, Linea Aeropostal Venezolana and AVENSA began to explore the possibility of establishing a new international airline. In April 1960, LAV proposed a 50-50 state-owned and private company. Negotiations continued and, two months later, both airlines agreed to set up a new carrier.
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