Haron and Aisah: A SATS Father-Daughter Story
Haron joined SATS in 1969, way before Changi Airport became the world-class airport it is today. He likes to say he was practically “born in SATS Cargo,” and he says it with so much pride.
For 56 years, that has been his world: loading cargo at Singapore’s old airports, watching in awe as supersonic planes landed here for the first time, driving aerobridges and forklifts, and moving along with the airport as it transformed over the decades. You could say Haron grew up right alongside it.
But behind the years of loyal service, Haron was also a devoted family man.
For Father’s Day, we sit down with him and his daughter, Aisah (who’s been with SATS Cargo for 33 years now).
Haron Kasnan, Equipment Operator (SATS Cargo), and his first-born daughter, Aisah, Cargo Coordinator
He wasn’t often around at home, but they knew he was there
Aisah’s earliest memories of her father aren’t the usual ones... no bedtime stories or playtime. What she remembers is his dad’s airport uniform tossed by the laundry basket, his camera slung over his shoulder, and the quiet sound of him opening the door in the early hours, either leaving for work or coming back.
“He was always out,” she says. “If he wasn’t at SATS, he was driving a taxi. If he wasn’t driving, he was doing photography gigs. But I never once heard him complain.”
Haron worked hard, sometimes around the clock, not for promotions or praise, but for something simpler. “I just wanted to feed my family, give them a home, and put them through school.”
And for Aisah, it was more than enough. “My dad gave our family more than food, shelter, and education. He gave us security, dignity, and love.”
Their love didn’t need big words or grand gestures. Little moments made Aisah's childhood joyful. “Every school holiday, without fail, he takes our whole family on a trip, usually to Indonesia. That was our time together. That's when my dad would drop everything and just be with us.”
Following in her dad’s footsteps
Aisah didn’t plan to work at SATS. “I didn’t want to work where he worked,” she laughs. “I wanted my own path.” But life had other plans.
Haron encouraged her to give it a shot. “Because I knew she could raise her family with a job here, just like I did.” And he always reminded her to work with pride and build trust.
Now, 33 years later, Aisah walks the same halls her father once did. People at SATS Cargo greet her not by name, but by association. “You’re Haron’s daughter, right?”
She laughs, “It’s like I’m always in his shadow. But honestly, I like it. Because I’m proud of him.”
Every day can be Father’s Day
At Haron’s home, Father’s Day isn’t a big occasion—no fancy dinners, no greeting cards. When asked why this is so, Aisah explains, “Because in our family, every day is Father’s Day.”
Her appreciation for Haron shows quietly but warmly and consistently. Aisah checks her dad’s schedule to see when they’ll both be home (since she works shifts as a Cargo Coordinator at SATS) and asks what he wants to eat. And Aisah always makes it for him.
Her dad’s favourite is kueh lapis (layered cake). So, Aisah signed up for a course to learn how to make it.
“She didn’t have to,” Haron says, his voice thick with emotion. “But when she did... I knew I was truly loved.”
Aisah also shares a moment that says it all about her dad’s love. On her parents’ 52nd wedding anniversary, Haron bought a beautiful ring and asked Aisah to slip it onto her mother’s finger. “My mom forgot the date,” Aisah recalls, tearing up. “But she was so touched. After all these years, my dad still remembers. That’s just how much he loves his family.”
In their family, that's what love looks like: simple, steady, felt.
Time well spent with work and family
Haron and his beautiful family
Haron no longer works shifts, drives taxis, or takes on freelance photography gigs. He’s home by 5 PM, spending time with his wife and grandkids.
One time, a manager asked if he wanted to return to night duty for better pay. “I told her, I’d rather lose money than lose time with my family,” he says.
That’s who Haron is—a man who once juggled three jobs to give his kids a future and now spends his time on what matters most.
But why does he still come to work at SATS when his kids are all grown with steady jobs? “This place is like my second home. I belong here. And I love being able to look out for my daughter, even if she’s all grown and married.”
A daughter’s silent thank you
Aisah loves to bake her dad’s favourite kueh lapis
Aisah still regularly checks her dad’s schedule. She still cooks his favourite dishes and makes his favourite kueh lapis. She still watches out for him at work, even though they’re in different departments.
To her, Haron is not just the man who built a life from shift work and second jobs. He’s the reason she knows what love really looks like: sometimes tired, sometimes quiet, but always showing up.
And when you ask her what Father’s Day means? She smiles and says, “For us, it’s today. It’s every day.”
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To all the fathers at SATS, thank you. Your hard work and quiet strength keep families strong. Happy Father’s Day, every day.