June 16, 2003	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1424

TORONTO, June 15: Air Canada, hit hard by Sars, has been forced to lay off 317 pilots and ground six Boeing 747s in the next few months, a spokesman for the airline said on Sunday.

Air Canada, which filed for protection from creditors early last month, revealed that it continues to suffer losses because of the Sars disease and expects to lose more than $1 billion this year.