Air Canada (AC-T) has been delivering its share of surprises this year, that aside from nearly landing on idling jets in San Francisco in July, the airline has surprised investors in a good way, too.
Earlier this month, its second-quarter profit sailed past analysts' expectations, sending the shares on a 10-per-cent one-day rally that kept going. The share price is now up 70 per cent this year, which raises a question: Are investors starting to think differently about this notoriously volatile sector?
Over the past five years, Air Canada shares have surged more than 2,100 per cent, WestJet is up more than 50 per cent and Delta Air Lines is up more than 400 per cent. The gains follow what many observers believe is a new era for airlines, which were once bankruptcy-prone. Following a round of consolidation in the United States, airlines have become much more disciplined about staying competitive without giving up profitability. They have also become more efficient. U.S. airline costs fell in the second quarter of 2016 to 11 cents per available seat mile. Air Canada's costs on an equal basis have fallen 17 per cent since 2012.
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