Air Canada (TSX:AC) Stock: Some More Bad News

Whenever things start to look good for Air Canada, something new comes up, which brings the company down from its efforts to soar again.

| More on:

A lot of people thought that 2021 would be different from 2020. With the discovery and preparation of the vaccine, people hoped that even if the pandemic is not fully eradicated, it would come under control, and they would see the world recovering.

While this hope is still alive, it’s tainted because of the new variants of the virus spreading around. Countries where these new strains are emerging are likely to see lockdowns and safety measures akin to the first ones we saw in 2020, which are likely to deal a similarly devastating blow to the economy.

It’s bad news for some businesses, but it will most likely be worse for Air Canada (TSX:AC).

Air travel and COVID

According to an estimate, travel, in general, accounted for less than 2% of the cases in Canada. Air travel would constitute a fraction of it, but it still got decimated. In fact, airline businesses were the first to get affected once the virus became international. Even before the travel restrictions were imposed, airlines started seeing their shares going down because people were afraid to travel internationally.

Things settled down a bit once the first wave ended. But it still didn’t do much to resume the international air travel to the pre-pandemic levels, because the timeline was different for different countries. Some countries were going through the peak of their first wave when other countries were still weeks away from a second wave.

This international dissent in the COVID timelines kept international travel at a minimum, and Air Canada kept suffering and operating at a fraction of its full capacity. When the vaccine became part of the equation, the optimism energized Air Canada stock, but that didn’t last long.

New strains and travel restrictions

The world didn’t even have enough time to properly enjoy the hope that the vaccine brought when the new strains started to emerge. It rekindled old fears, and countries began locking down again. At first, only the countries with known mutations went into lockdown. In the next phase, they were isolated from the rest of the world by strict travel measures.

As an added precaution, countries like Canada are on the verge of closing down borders again. The prime minister has asked the people of the country to limit unnecessary local and international travel. But the government is also thinking about enforcing strict travel measures. That would include screening and testing of the people coming back from other countries and making the 14-day quarantine mandatory for new arrivals.

The news regarding stricter travel measures harmed Air Canada stock right away. It was stable till Jan. 14 and was actually going up, but it has dropped almost 14.5% since then.

Foolish takeaway

Even though the chances of Air Canada going bankrupt were low before, the new virus strains can change that. If more countries start seeing another wave of the pandemic or the mortality rate associated with the COVID shifts in the wrong direction due to the new strains, Air Canada and other airlines might see their meager profits go up in smoke.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Adam Othman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

More on Investing

Canadian dollars are printed
Dividend Stocks

Beat the TSX With This Cash-Gushing Dividend Stock

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD) stock could do well in the year ahead.

Read more »

monthly desk calendar
Dividend Stocks

Monthly Income: Top Dividend Stocks to Buy in November

Here are two of the best monthly dividend stocks in Canada you can buy in November 2024 and hold for…

Read more »

hand stacks coins
Investing

A Top TSX Stock to Buy Now for Real Wealth Later

Intact Financial (TSX:IFC) stock is a fantastic dividend-growth play for the next 15 years and beyond.

Read more »

tsx today
Stock Market

TSX Today: What to Watch for in Stocks on Thursday, November 14

The U.S. wholesale inflation data and Fed chair Jerome Powell’s remarks about the economy will remain on TSX investors’ radar…

Read more »

Man data analyze
Tech Stocks

3 Reasons Celestica Stock Is a Screaming Buy Now

These three reasons make Celestica stock a screaming buy for long-term investors.

Read more »

profit rises over time
Dividend Stocks

These 2 Dow Stocks Are Set to Soar in 2025 and Beyond

Two Dow Jones stocks are screaming buys but Canadians must hold them in an RRSP or RRIF to avoid paying…

Read more »

TFSA (Tax free savings account) acronym on wooden cubes on the background of stacks of coins
Dividend Stocks

How to Use Your TFSA to Earn Ultimate Passive Income

If you have a TFSA, then you have the key to creating ultimate passive income. All you need is a…

Read more »

Confused person shrugging
Dividend Stocks

Better Buy: Fortis Stock or Hydro One Stock?

Let's do a compare and contrast of these two top utilities stocks right now, shall we?

Read more »