Olympic Airlines was the flag carrier of Greece, tracing its origins to the founding of Technical and Aeronautical Exploitations SA in 1951, before being rebranded as Olympic Airways. The airline was famously acquired by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1957 and operated as a state symbol of Greek aviation for decades, serving numerous domestic and international routes. Following years of financial difficulties and European Union pressure over state subsidies, the original Olympic Airways was shut down in 2003. A successor company, Olympic Airlines, operated from 2003 until 2009, when it was privatized and merged with Aegean Airlines. The Olympic brand was briefly revived under Aegean's ownership before being fully integrated. Throughout its history, Olympic was known for its distinctive blue-and-white livery reflecting the Greek flag, and it played a central role in connecting Greece to the world, particularly during the peak years of Greek tourism in the latter half of the 20th century.