More than 200 pilots of the cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines have threatened to strike work if their salaries for December are not paid by the end of this month, a deadline that the private carrier's promoter Vijay Mallya committed to earlier. 

"We may not be available for flying duties in case our dues are not cleared in time," the pilots said in one of the many emails shot off to the CEO Sanjay Agarwal and EVP (operations and engineering) Hitesh Patel over the past few days. 

The carrier has about 550 pilots. The threatened strike may also jeopardise Kingfisher's plan to join the One World Alliance - a group of several global airlines - next month as per a report in ET by Anindya Upadhyay.

Mallya had promised all employees in an email on January 16, that the dues for November would be cleared within a couple of days. However, the employees received their salaries a day later. 

"If the Chairman's words are not implemented, we would be apprehensive about getting our December 20011 salary by January 31, 2012," an email sent by the pilots says. 

These pilots are not enthused at the prospect of joining the global alliance either. "Employees are not in tune with the festive mood as non-payment of our salaries has hit us hard. We should get our salary before we can join in the celebrations with the expected fervour and zest," the email reads.