Boliviana De Aviacion’s A330 Mystery Unveiled

Let’s just admit it, most folks might not lose a wink over Boliviana de Aviacion’s latest mishap, but here I am, caught in a whirlwind of intrigue. Curiosity? Fully piqued.

Boliviana de Aviacion Grounds Its A330s

So here’s the scoop. In 2023, Bolivia’s flag carrier, Boliviana de Aviacion, went and added some Airbus A330-200s to its fleet—Virgin Australia hand-me-downs, all three of them. They took off from their nest in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and flew across to Miami and Madrid.

The airline has been on my radar for ages, and after much anticipation, I finally hopped on Boliviana de Aviacion’s A330. Needless to say, my excitement levels were through the stratosphere.

And then reader JB dropped a bombshell I wasn’t prepared for. Boliviana de Aviacion, initially graced with three A330s, now has just one:

• On January 25, 2025, the A330 with the registration code CP-3209 decided it fancied a trip to Mexico City and has mysteriously stayed put ever since.
• Following the trend, on March 2, 2025, CP-3208 hitched a flight to Mexico City and hasn’t moved an inch since.
• The sole survivor, CP-3214, remains in action, jetting on the Madrid route.

And then there’s Miami. Since March 2, it’s been all about the Boeing 737-800—except, it isn’t quite cut out for the 3,202-mile haul. Fuel stops in Panama City are now the name of the game, much to everyone’s chagrin.

The passenger experience? Well, let’s just say swapping a comfy A330 for a 737 isn’t anyone’s idea of fun. No business class, just one homogenous cabin. Not ideal.

What’s Really Up with Those A330s?

I’ve scoured every corner of the internet and came up with zilch as to why Boliviana de Aviacion’s A330 duo decided to call Mexico City their new playground. Your guess is as good as mine.

Rumor has it, business class tickets are back on sale for Miami flights from March 24. This suggests the A330 might make a comeback. But let’s shelve that optimism—a wishlist might be more accurate.

Logical explanations? Scheduled maintenance pops up, but sending two planes for a tune-up at the same time doesn’t add up. That’d be an epic scheduling fail. Plus, these weren’t slated disappearances—these birds just vanished off the schedule.

Could the airline have ditched the leases or run into fiscal turbulence? Your wild-but-informed theories have a chance to shine here. Write home if you have a clue, because I’m stumped.

For ages, Boliviana de Aviacion’s A330 was a constant feature at Miami Airport, like clockwork. Those days seem over, at least for the near future, with the 737 muscling in.

The Bottom Line

Boliviana de Aviacion has found itself with a lone A330 carrying its banner, while the other two seem to enjoy their hiatus in Mexico City. Unplanned retreats for maintenance? Hardly. It’s a head-scratcher of grand proportions.

In their absence, travelers to Miami are finding themselves aboard a Boeing 737, reluctantly indulging in a Panama City fuel detour both ways.

So here it is, anyone out there holding the missing piece to this Boliviana de Aviacion A330 puzzle? Val Seny ski resort might be looking like a more predictable topic right now.