Pakistani businessman jailed in London for threatening Virgin Atlantic airhostess with gangrape: ‘You called me a…’

Pakistani-origin London businessman Salman Iftikhar has been jailed for threatening Virgin Atlantic airhostess with gangrape on a London-Lahore flight in 2023.

Salman Iftikhar, a rich London businessman, has been jailed for 15 months for his 2023 outburst on a London-Lahore Virgin Atlantic flight, the place he threatened an airhostess with gangrape, accusing her of being racist. “You called me a P*ki in front of everybody,” Iftikhar advised the airhostess including that she could be dragged out of her lodge room, gangraped and set alight. On February 7, 2023, Iftikhar was flying on the Virgin Atlantic flight in firstclass with his spouse and three kids. The argument began when Iftikhar was ingesting on the onboard bar and taking ice with his arms. “Mr Iftikhar was seen drinking champagne at the onboard bar, where he was talking to cabin crew,” stated prosecutor Abdul Kapadia. “During the defendant’s first meal service, the defendant was seen helping himself to ice, leaning over bar he was drinking at, and taking ice with his hands.“When advised to cease, the defendant grew to become irate, and began to movie cabin crew with his cellphone, telling them: ‘Do not inform me what to do, you b**ch. When requested by the cabin crew to return to his seat, he then stated: ‘Don’t inform me what to do you racist f**king b**ch. I do know the place you’re from in Cardiff.'”The pilot was informed about the altercation and he turned the seat belt lights on so that everyone went back to their seats. “The defendant’s behaviour grew to become worse. The cabin crew mentioned a diversion to Turkey. The defendant was knowledgeable of this attainable diversion, to which he replied: ‘I do not care. F**ok it, go to Turkey. I’ve contacts.’ The defendant then sat down, however his aggressive behaviour continued. His spouse was ashamed. His three kids had been additionally on-board, and different crew members had been called to help, however the defendant continued shouting and swearing,” Kapadia advised the court docket.“He was slurring his phrases, with his voice raised. He shouted on the cabin crew: ‘Do who I’m?’ The defendant’s spouse went to the meals bar and tried to speak to cabin crew, however the defendant pushed his spouse away, and shouted at her to not discuss to crew. A crew member stabilised the spouse’s arm to forestall her from falling when she was pushed,” the court was told. Iftikhar also threatened to blow up the floor of the Avari Lahore Hotel, where the cabin crew were due to stay. “You shall be lifeless on the ground of your lodge,” he threatened the crew and then he turned towards the airhostess and said: “You shall be dragged by your hair out of your room and gang raped and set on fireplace”. His three young children were crying and pleading for him to stop.When the flight landed in Lahore, no action was taken against Iftikhar, but he was arrested on March 16, 2024, from his home in Iver, Buckinghamshire.Iftikhar has six previous convictions arising from 15 offences, including common assault in 2004 and drink driving in 2008. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is the director and founder of the recruitment firm Staffing Match.The air hostess told the court she had to take 14 months off work as she was traumatized by the threat of being gangraped.