On a flight from the UK to Pakistan, 37-year-old businessman Salman Iftikhar, traveling in first class, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for violent and death threats against a cabin crew member.
The incident occurred on the London Heathrow to Lahore flight. Iftikhar, who lives in Iver, Buckinghamshire, directed racist insults and severe threats at cabin attendant Angie Walsh. Accompanied by his wife and three children, Iftikhar told Walsh, “You will be found dead on the floor of your hotel” and “You will be gang-raped and burned.”
Prosecutor Abdul Kapadia stated that during the flight, Iftikhar consumed alcohol, recorded the cabin crew with his phone, disobeyed instructions, and threatened to blow up the Avari Lahore Hotel where the crew would stay. The pilots even considered diverting the plane to Turkey.
Victim: “My 37-Year Career Was Shattered”
In an emotional court statement, Walsh said she had flown even to war zones in her 37-year career with Virgin Atlantic, but this incident deeply affected her:
“I was harassed for eight hours. At 39,000 feet, I felt vulnerable. There was nowhere to go.”
Walsh added she has been off work for 14 months following the incident and is still trying to recover her former strength.
Court Ruling
Old Bailey Court sentenced Iftikhar to 15 months imprisonment for “threatening cabin crew, racist abuse, and endangering public safety.” The defense lawyer claimed his client suffered from “memory loss.”
