Pakistani-origin British businessman Salman Iftikhar has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for issuing violent threats and using racist slurs against cabin crew during a flight from London to Lahore in February 2023.
During the eight-hour journey, Iftikhar, 37, became aggressive after drinking champagne in first class. He ignored safety protocols, scooped ice with his hands from the bar, and was asked to return to his seat. In response, he lashed out at flight attendant Angie Walsh, accusing her of racism and launching into a tirade filled with obscene and threatening language.
“You’ll be dragged from your room, gang-raped and burned alive,” he threatened, even disclosing hotel room numbers of the crew staying at Avari Lahore Hotel. He also grabbed a male attendant, refused to follow instructions, and screamed expletives, calling a staff member a “white Welsh c–t.”
Despite the severity of the incident, Iftikhar wasn’t detained upon landing. He was arrested over a year later at his $1.2 million home in the UK. He pleaded guilty to racial harassment and death threats but was acquitted of assault.
Flight attendant Walsh, a 37-year veteran with Virgin Atlantic, was left deeply traumatised, requiring 14 months off work. In a victim impact statement, she expressed devastation: “I’ve flown during wars, after 9/11—but this shattered me.”
Iftikhar’s lawyer blamed a medical issue, citing “amnesia” and “blood loss.”