1929 - the French company Aeropostale (known as Lignes Aeriennes Latécoère until 1927), then under the leadership of its owner Marcel Bouilloux-Lafont, arrived in Venezuela. 1933 - the Venezuelan government purchased the airline from the French. 1935 - name was changed to Línea Aeropostal Venezolana. 1937 - the government of Venezuela secured full ownership of the airline. 1939 - headquarters were moved from Maracay to Maiquetía because of its proximity to Caracas. 1945 - first international flights began. 1947 - introduced Lockheed Constellations to fly a new direct international route from Caracas to New York. 1961 - Douglas DC-8 jets were introduced to replace the Super Constellations. 1994 - commercial operations ceased, as part of a government effort to trim expenses. 1996 - company sold to the Corporacion Alas de Venezuela. 1997 - operations restarted as a private company. 2008 - sold to a group of entrepreneurs from the state of Carabobo, Venezuela. 2009 - the Venezuelan government announced its intention to nationalise Aeropostal, following the arrest of several owners and employees in 2008 on Interpol drug trafficking warrants.