Pakistan Businessman Jailed In London For 15 Months For Threatening To Rape Air Hostess
The incident started during the meal service on the eight-hour flight. Iftikhar, 37, was drinking champagne at the in-flight bar when he reached over the counter and scooped ice with his hands. The flight crew confronted him, asking him to return to his seat after he became intoxicated.
Iftikhar became hostile, accusing the crew of racism. He yelled that she had insulted him in front of everyone. "You called me a p-ki in front of everybody," he yelled. The passenger then started filming the flight attendants and shouted at one of them, threatening her and refusing to follow instructions.
"Don't tell me what to do, you racist f–king bitch. I know where you are from in Cardiff," Iftikhar screamed during the flight.
The flight deck was alerted to the situation and activated the seatbelt sign to calm Iftikhar down. Airline staff reported that Iftikhar was slurring his words, becoming aggressive, and boasting about his identity. His wife attempted to intervene by talking to the flight attendants at the food bar, but Iftikhar pushed her away, telling her not to speak to them.
Iftikhar then physically confronted male flight attendant Tommy Merchant, grabbing him and telling him to shut up. The situation worsened when Iftikhar threatened the crew, revealing the exact hotel room numbers where they'd be staying at the Avari Lahore Hotel.
He grabbed one of the flight attendants, calling her a "f–king white Welsh c–t," before threatening to rape her.
"The white sheep s–ting bitch will be dead. The floor of your hotel will be blown up, and it will disappear. You will be dragged by your hair from your room and gang-raped and set on fire," he shouted.
Iftikhar was allowed to leave the plane after landing in Pakistan without being arrested. He was later arrested at his $1.2 million home in England on March 16, 2024, over a year after the incident. Iftikhar admitted to making death threats and racial harassment against the flight attendant.
The attendant was left traumatised, requiring 14 months of leave from work to recover.
"I am a strong, brave, happy stewardess, and I loved my job. I am well known within the company. I have been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I've even flown into a warzone. But this incident has broken me. Never in my entire career flying for 37 years have I been sure what to do. I have had the best career in the world for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me," she read in a victim impact statement.
Iftikhar was acquitted of assault and threats to kill flight attendant Tommy Merchant. His lawyer attributed the violent outburst to a claimed medical condition, describing it as "amnesia, blood loss."
According to his LinkedIn profile, he is the director and founder of the recruitment firm Staffing Match.
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NDTV
an hour ago
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Who Is Salman Iftikhar, Pakistani Businessman Jailed For Threatening To Rape Flight Attendant
Salman Iftikhar is a Pakistani businessman based in London who made headlines in 2023 for his abusive behaviour towards a Virgin Atlantic flight attendant while flying first class from London Heathrow to Lahore in February. Iftikhar was recently sentenced to 15 months in jail. Who Is Salman Iftikhar? He is the director and founder of Staffing Match, a recruitment firm, his LinkedIn profile revealed. Media reports have claimed that he lives a luxurious life in London with a £2 million house and a fleet of expensive cars. 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. — CourtNewsUK (@CourtNewsUK) August 5, 2025 The court heard that Iftikhar has six previous convictions arising from 15 offences, including common assault in 2004 and drink driving in 2008. According to a report by the Standard, he was also fined £3,000 in 2021 after he was caught drink driving, as well as being under the influence of cannabis in his Rolls-Royce in 2021. Local reports suggest that he appeared in the dock wearing a grey suit with a pink shirt and yellow tie. He was weeping as he was jailed for 15 months. What Exactly Happened On Flight? Iftikhar was flying with his wife and three children when he told crew member Angie Walsh that she would be dragged out of her hotel room, gang raped and set alight. Iftikhar's outburst began after he was asked to stop taking ice with his bare hands at the in-flight bar, and he went on to accuse the crew of racism, shouting expletives, and making violent threats. The entire incident was captured by a co-passenger. The video showed Iftikhar accusing Ms Walsh of being a racist. He said, "You called me a Pa-i in front of everybody." On being asked to return to his seat, Iftikhar told cabin crew: "Don't tell me what to do you racist f---ing b--ch. I know where you are from in Cardiff." Isleworth Crown Court heard the case as Prosecutor Abdul Kapadia said Iftikhar's behaviour even forced the cabin crew to discuss diverting the plane to Turkey. However, the plane had landed in Pakistan. But he was not arrested immediately. He was arrested on March 16, 2024, at his home in Iver, Buckinghamshire. The Prosecutor said that his wife was "ashamed" and his three children "were also on board". Iftikhar was "slurring his words" as he got up from his seat and "grabbed Ms Walsh's hand" and called her a "f---ing white Welsh c---". "The defendant also threatened to blow up the floor of the Avari Lahore Hotel, where the cabin crew were due to stay," Kapadia added. During the altercation, Iftikhar shouted Walsh would be "dragged by [her] hair" and "gang raped and set on fire". He said that she would "be dead on the floor of [her] hotel" and added "the white sheep sh---ing b---h will be dead. The floor of [her] hotel will be blown up and it will disappear". Mental Trauma To Walsh Walsh was left traumatised and took 14 months off work to recover from the incident. She said, "I feel like what happened that day has changed my life enormously. I can't quite believe that one passenger has had this much of an impact on my, job, my career and my life. I am a strong, brave, happy stewardess, and loved my job. I am well known within the company." "I have been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I've even flown into a warzone. But this incident has broken me."
Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
Who is Salman Iftikhar? Pak man who threatened Virgin Atlantic staff with rape has 2 wives, owns Rolls Royce, Bentley
Salman Iftikhar, a London businessman of Pakistani origin, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for issuing death threats and directing racist abuse at airline cabin crew. According to a report by The New York Post, the incident took place in February 2023 on a flight from London's Heathrow Airport to Lahore, Pakistan. In addition to his life in London, Salman Iftikhar is also married to Pakistani supermodel and actress Abeer Rizvi. A father of three and husband to two wives, Iftikhar was reportedly consuming champagne while travelling with his wife Erum Salman and their children when he verbally abused and threatened a flight attendant during the flight. Iftikhar threatened her, saying she would be dragged from her hotel room, gang-raped, and set on fire. The report noted that a fellow passenger recorded one of Iftikhar's outbursts, during which he repeatedly accused Angie Walsh of racism, alleging that she had used a derogatory term against him in front of other passengers. According to The Daily Mail, Salman Iftikhar works in the recruitment industry and co-runs a staffing company in London with his wife, Erum. The business provides training services to companies in customer service and manufacturing. The couple resides with their children in a luxurious six-bedroom home in Iver, Buckinghamshire, estimated to be worth £2 million (approximately $2.6 million). Iftikhar is known for his lavish lifestyle, owning several luxury cars, including a Range Rover, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce, which are frequently featured on the family's social media posts. The incident left the flight attendant deeply traumatised, forcing her to take 14 months of leave from work to recover, according to the report. "I am a strong, brave, happy stewardess, and I loved my job. I am well known within the company. I have been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I've even flown into a warzone. But this incident has broken me. Never in my entire career flying for 37 years have I been sure what to do. I have had the best career in the world for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me," she read in a victim impact statement. I have had the best career in the world for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me. Salman Iftikhar was acquitted of charges related to assault and threats to kill another flight attendant, Tommy Merchant. His defence lawyer argued that the violent outburst stemmed from a medical condition, citing symptoms such as 'amnesia' and 'blood loss.' Key Takeaways The incident highlights the severe impact of verbal abuse in the aviation industry. Salman Iftikhar's case raises questions about accountability and the influence of wealth. Victims of such incidents often endure long-term psychological effects, as demonstrated by the flight attendant's experience.
