Pilots at Serbian flag carrier JAT Airways went on strike on Friday, saying they have not been paid for two months and demanding senior management be sacked for mishandling the company.

"All inbound and outbound JAT flights have been cancelled as of midnight. The strike will go on until our demands are met," Momir Prodanovic, spokesman for the 220 striking pilots said.

Pilots were demanding the dismissal of the entire JAT senior management, immediate restructuring to reduce staff numbers from 3,900 to 1,200 and full compliance with international standards of efficiency and safety.

They also want wages adjusted to reflect the steady decline of the dinar against the euro over the past year, Prodanovic said.

The government on Thursday decided to sack several senior JAT managers. Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica is to meet the striking pilots on Monday.

Set up in 1927, JAT has been in talks with both Boeing and Airbus about buying or leasing new planes to rejuvenate its current fleet of 21 aircraft. The USD$400 million plan requires government approval.