A wealthy passenger who subjected a Virgin Atlantic cabin crew member to a tirade of abuse, including threats of gang rape, has had his prison sentence more than tripled following a review by the Court of Appeal.
Horrific In-Flight Abuse Leads to Public Outcry
Salman Iftikhar, a 38-year-old from Iver in Buckinghamshire, was originally handed a 15-month sentence in August 2025. He had been convicted for one count of threats to kill and one count of racially aggravated intentional harassment. The incident occurred on a flight from London to Lahore, Pakistan, after he became intoxicated.
The confrontation began when a crew member asked Iftikhar to return to his seat after he was seen handling ice with his bare hands. Instead of complying, he launched into a vicious verbal attack targeting the lead flight attendant. He subjected her to racial abuse and swore at her before making the chilling threat that she would be gang raped and set alight in her hotel room.
A Prolonged Ordeal and a Referred Sentence
The abuse was not an isolated outburst. Iftikhar's threatening behaviour continued for the duration of the eight-hour journey. He also abused other members of the cabin crew and threatened that their hotel would be blown up. The situation became so severe that the pilots actively considered diverting the aircraft to Turkey.
In a personal impact statement, the primary victim revealed she remains "haunted and traumatised" by the event. The psychological toll was so significant that she was forced to take 14 months off work to recover.
Following Iftikhar's original sentencing, there was significant public and political concern that the 15-month term was insufficient. The case was subsequently referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme. This scheme allows members of the public to request a review of Crown Court sentences perceived as too light.
Justice Served as Sentence is Increased
On review, the Court of Appeal agreed that the initial sentence was unduly lenient. As a result, in November 2025, Iftikhar's jail term was increased from 15 months to four years and three months.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp had written to the Attorney General, highlighting Iftikhar's previous convictions and comparing the case to that of Lucy Connolly, who received a longer sentence for a racially aggravated social media post. Philp argued that Iftikhar's face-to-face, sustained threats of extreme violence warranted a tougher penalty.
Following the successful appeal, the Solicitor General, Ellie Reeves MP, stated: "Salman Iftikhar made horrific threats of rape and violence against an air steward who was simply doing her job. I hope this brings comfort and a sense of justice to those impacted." The ruling underscores that the justice system can and will act to correct sentences that fail to reflect the severity of a crime.
