Two Air Canada Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircrafts are seen on the ground as Air Canada Embraer aircraft flies in the background at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, March 13, 2019. REUTERS/Chris Helgren Acquire Licensing RightsSept 27 (Reuters) - Air Canada (AC.TO) said on Wednesday it will operate the airline as usual when its pilots conduct an informational picket at the company's main hub, the Pearson International Airport, on Friday. "As we watch Air Canada cut routes due to an industry-wide shortage of pilots, we encourage them to close the growing wage gap between Canada and the United States," said Charlene Hudy, chair of the Air Canada Master Executive Council, in a statement on Tuesday. Air Canada's estimated 4,500 pilots have received a 2% wage increase per year since 2014. The pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) union, began bargaining for new labor terms this summer, before the end of their decade-long contract.

---

Persons: Chris Helgren, Charlene Hudy, Ananta Agarwal, Devika Organizations: Air Canada Boeing, Air Canada Embraer, Toronto Pearson International Airport, REUTERS, Air Canada, Pearson International, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Air, Air Canada's, Air Line Pilots Association, Thomson Locations: Toronto , Ontario, Canada, Air Canada, United States, North America, Bengaluru