Air Canada is well positioned Air Canada has better bigger route network then the next biggest Canadian airline Westjet. Air Canada also offers more transborder trip between Canada/USA then any other airlines both side of the border.
New airlines like Flair and Lynx have caused Westjet to retreat back to its roots in Calgary. Porter is getting started to eat into Westjet. Air Canada has seen minimum impact from ULCC as most existing AC customers prefer better service and product then ULCC.
Westjet buying Sunwing was the best thing to happen to AC. Sunwing was going bankrupt and was in melt down few months ago. Westjet just paid premium to acquire Sunwing. Now to pay for it Westjet needs to increase their ticket price. The market share that Westjet wanted to get from Sunwing has been taken by Flair.
Rouge and Air Transat will maintain their market share in low cost and vacation packages and keep the screws tight on WJ.
Air Canada with more connectivity and global reach will be preferred choice of Canadian flyers. Dont get caught up in recession talk. Retired baby boomers with their house paid off and not able to travel last few years will be flying in large numbers. Unlike other Canadian airlines AC is not having problem hiring for expansion and back filling retirements. Westjet, Sunwing, Air Transat, Porter are lossing employees to AC.
Summer flying is here and AC is positioned well to take on the demand. But dont tell that to reject2021.