Two generations of the same Fijian family are now working for Fiji Airways, the country’s national airline, with Captain Satpreet Singh, his wife Sharmila and their sons Prashant and Satvikrant together holding close to 90 years of aviation careers. Both the Fiji Sun and Fijivillage published the family’s story on 26 September 2026, tracing careers that span Fiji Air, Air Pacific and Fiji Airways.
Key facts
- The four family members hold close to 90 years of combined aviation experience across the three airlines, according to both outlets.
- Sharmila Singh first wore the Air Pacific uniform as cabin crew in February 1992 and is now a Purser.
- Satpreet Singh joined Fiji Air in 1991, moved to Air Pacific in 1999 and became a Captain in 2007. He is 35 years into his commercial flying career with more than 23,000 flying hours, mostly in jets.
- Prashant Singh joined Fiji Airways in 2015 as a Second Officer at 19 and is now a First Officer.
- Satvikrant Singh joined in 2018 at 20 and is also now a First Officer.
- The Fiji Sun reports Fiji Airways has been part of the lives of generations of Fijians for 75 years.
Why it matters
Both outlets frame the Singhs as a rare case in Fijian aviation: a household in which the cockpit and the cabin of the national carrier are staffed by parents and children at the same time. Fijivillage describes a journey of more than three decades that began with humble beginnings and personal sacrifice.
The reporting also puts a price on becoming a Fijian pilot. Both outlets say money was tight when Satpreet Singh told his family he wanted to fly, and that relatives took on debt to make it possible. Fiji News has separately reported on aviation’s public profile in the country, including a row over fossil-fuel advertising in Fiji’s airports, and on the Government’s report of record foreign reserves.
From an accounting office to the cabin
Sharmila Singh’s route into the industry was not planned, both outlets report. She was working at an accounting firm when cabin crew visits to the office turned her attention to the airline, and she stepped into the Air Pacific uniform for the first time in February 1992. The Fiji Sun reports she says wearing it made her feel proud, nervous and excited.
As she and her husband built their careers, both outlets say the growing family adjusted to the rhythm of airline life: rosters, early starts, travel and periods apart. Seeing her sons in uniform became one of the proudest moments of her life, she told both outlets, because it was their dreams and work coming to life rather than a costume.
A Ba boyhood and a family’s sacrifice
Satpreet Singh grew up in Wailailai, Ba, where his parents were teachers at Khalsa College and the family lived in the teachers’ quarters among the sugarcane fields, according to both reports. His parents had migrated from Punjab, India, to Fiji in the late 1950s and became part of the Khalsa College community.
Both outlets report that he looked up at every aircraft that passed overhead, took his first flight as a child on a holiday with his mother, and did not board another aircraft for years — the next time as a student pilot. To fund flying school, his father gave what savings he could, his mother surrendered her life insurance policy and took out a loan, his sister also took out a loan, and his brother provided accommodation and logistical support in Kilbirnie, Wellington, New Zealand.
The Fiji Sun quotes him on what has kept him in the job: “It’s the passion of flying, it’s the passion for Fiji Airways, it’s a passion for Fiji.”
The sons take the flight deck
Neither son was pushed into the industry, both outlets report, though Prashant said he grew up surrounded by aviation because of his parents and their colleagues, which created a natural pull towards it. He joined in 2015 at 19; his brother followed in 2018 at 20. Both are now First Officers.
Prashant told both outlets that he had visited his father in the cockpit as a child, asking about the switches and instruments, and later found himself flying the same Boeing 737 type he had travelled on as a passenger. At home they are husband, wife, parents and sons; at work they are Captain, Purser and First Officers, the Fiji Sun reports, with the switch sometimes happening on a shared taxi ride to the airport.
The sources differ on one milestone
The two reports do not agree on whether the family has yet worked the same flight. The Fiji Sun says the family has flown together in different combinations over the years, including flights with Captain Singh in the flight deck, Sharmila working in the cabin and one of their sons among the operating crew. Fijivillage says the four have yet to be on the same aircraft together as operating crew, and that doing so would be a significant milestone.
Satvikrant told both outlets that such a flight would be one of the proudest days, bringing together his own work and his parents’ and brother’s sacrifices. Away from the rosters, the Fiji Sun reports, fishing has become the family’s favourite way to spend time together, and Sharmila says those moments remind her that before the uniforms, they are a family.
Discipline was the value Satvikrant said he took from his parents, according to the Fiji Sun, which also records his father’s advice from his own father: though you fly in the air, keep one foot on the ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
What first drew Sharmila Singh into aviation?
According to the Fiji Sun and Fijivillage, Sharmila Singh was working at an accounting firm when she noticed cabin crew members coming and going, and that sparked her curiosity about the industry. Both outlets report she had originally hoped to become a teacher before she joined the airline as cabin crew.
What jobs did Satpreet Singh work to get through flying school?
Fijivillage and the Fiji Sun report that he worked at the flying school itself, cleaning and refuelling aircraft, and also cleaned offices and lavatories. Both outlets say he additionally worked at a kitchen and bathroom showroom to support himself while studying.
Were Prashant and Satvikrant pushed into aviation by their parents?
No. Both outlets report that neither son was pressured to follow their parents, and Prashant said their mother told him to follow his heart and do what made him happy. The Fiji Sun quotes him as saying she wanted him to be happy and successful in whatever he chose.
Which aircraft did Satpreet Singh fly before the Boeing 737?
The Fiji Sun and Fijivillage both report that after joining Fiji Air in 1991 he flew the DHC6 Twin Otter, BN2A Islander, Harbin Y-12 and Embraer EMB110 out of Nausori. He moved to Air Pacific in 1999 as a Boeing 737 First Officer.
