The Cockpit Verdict: Redefining 'Workman'

The Division Bench of the Hon'ble Delhi High Court, comprising Justice Anil Kshetarpal and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar, delivered a significant judgment in the case of King Airways v. Captain Pritam Singh & Ors. (LPA 142/2013 & connected matters), dated December 11, 2025. This verdict decisively settled a long-standing jurisprudential controversy regarding the classification of high-income professionals, specifically Pilots-in-Command (PIC), under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (ID Act). The Hon'ble Court was seized with multiple Letters  Patent Appeals challenging conflicting orders. The primary legal conundrum was whether a Pilot-in-Command, who draws a substantial salary and exercises statutory authority over an aircraft and its crew, falls within the definition of a “workman” under Section 2(s) of the ID Act or is excluded as a “supervisor” under Section 2(s)(iv). The judgment offers a comprehensive analysis of statutory interpretation, distinguishing