In an important court case, Captain Pritam Singh won against King Airways as the Delhi High Court decided in his favor on December 11, 2025. The court agreed that Captain Singh should get his unpaid salary and benefits, rejecting King Airways' attempt to overturn this decision.
The case was about Captain Pritam Singh who was trying to get his unpaid salary and bonuses from King Airways. The legal process started when the Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court in New Delhi supported Singh, which led King Airways to challenge this decision.
King Airways, represented by experienced lawyers Mr. Amit Rawal and Mr. Pradeep Bakshi, argued that Captain Singh was not a "workman" according to the Industrial Disputes Act. They said he had a supervisory job and earned more than the limit set by the law, which meant he didn't have the protections given by the Act.
Judges Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar and Anil Kshetrapal looked at the case, focusing on whether Captain Singh's job as a pilot involved supervising others. They decided that his main job was flying the plane, not overseeing the crew, which fit the definition of a "workman."
"The pilot’s primary function is confined to flying the aircraft itself," noted the court.
The court rejected King Airways' appeal, confirming the earlier decision that recognized Captain Singh as a "workman." This meant he was entitled to his unpaid salary and back pay, as his firing was considered unfair.
The decision stressed that extra tasks pilots do don't change their main job, making sure pilots like Captain Singh get the protections they deserve under labor laws.
The Delhi High Court’s decision was a win for pilots, reinforcing their rights under the Industrial Disputes Act. King Airways' effort to say Captain Singh wasn’t protected by the Act didn’t work, and this decision could influence similar cases in the airline industry.
