❓WHAT HAPPENED: A wealthy recruitment boss, Salman Iftikhar, was sentenced to 15 months in jail after threatening a Virgin Atlantic stewardess with gang rape and arson during a flight.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Salman Iftikhar, Virgin Atlantic stewardess Angie Walsh, and other cabin crew members.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred on a flight from London Heathrow to Lahore, with Iftikhar arrested at his home in Buckinghamshire on March 16, 2024. He was sentenced to prison in August 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I was abused for eight hours and 15 minutes. It has broken me. I was doing everything in my power to protect passengers and the crew from him.” – Angie Walsh
🎯IMPACT: Angie Walsh took 14 months off work, citing trauma, while Iftikhar faced legal consequences for his actions.
A 37-year-old Muslim recruitment firm director in the UK has been sentenced to 15 months in jail after an unhinged rant aboard an airplane in which he threatened to gang rape a stewardess and set her on fire. Salman Iftikhar was jailed after a series of abusive and threatening actions against Virgin Atlantic cabin crew during an eight-hour flight from London Heathrow to Lahore. The incident occurred while Iftikhar, who had been drinking champagne, was traveling in first class with his wife and three children.
Prosecutors revealed that Iftikhar directed a tirade of abuse at stewardess Angie Walsh, including threats to gang rape and set her alight. He also hurled racist insults and made death threats, leaving Walsh “broken” and “traumatized.” At one point, Iftikhar threatened to blow up the floor of the Avari Lahore Hotel, where the cabin crew was scheduled to stay, and made specific references to room numbers.
Here’s wealthy recruitment consultant Salman Iftikhar hurling death threats and racist abuse after champagne binge on an eight hour first class flight. His wife and three children were on the plane with him. https://t.co/NDjJgByo9C pic.twitter.com/ajzkx68YrC
— CourtNewsUK (@CourtNewsUK) August 5, 2025
The situation unfolded in front of Iftikhar’s family, including his crying children, who pleaded for him to stop. Despite intervention attempts by the crew and even the pilot, Iftikhar’s behavior escalated. Upon landing, no immediate action was taken in Pakistan, but Iftikhar was later arrested at his home in Buckinghamshire over a year after the incident.
Angie Walsh, a 37-year veteran of Virgin Atlantic, described the ordeal as life-changing: “I was abused for eight hours and 15 minutes. It has broken me. I was doing everything in my power to protect passengers and the crew from him.” She also noted that the incident forced her to take 14 months off work due to trauma, though she has since returned to her role.
Recorder Annabel Darlow KC, in sentencing Iftikhar, highlighted the severity of his actions, particularly the impact on his children and the long-lasting trauma inflicted on Walsh. Virgin Atlantic praised Walsh and the cabin crew for their professionalism and bravery, affirming their zero-tolerance policy toward disruptive behavior. A spokesman stated, “We will always work closely with the relevant authorities and will not hesitate to seek prosecution for those individuals that cause disruption onboard through unacceptable behavior.”
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