Overview

• Salman Iftikhar pleaded guilty to death threats and racially aggravated harassment and received a 15-month sentence at Isleworth Crown Court for his February 2023 outburst.
• Mid-air at 39,000 feet, Iftikhar hurled racist slurs at cabin crew and threatened to gang-rape and set fire to long-time flight attendant Angie Walsh.
• No authorities intervened when the flight landed in Pakistan, and Iftikhar was only arrested at his Buckinghamshire home in March 2024, highlighting enforcement gaps.
• Walsh resumed flying after 14 months on trauma leave and described lasting psychological harm from the eight-hour barrage of threats.
• Virgin Atlantic is overhauling its safety protocols and crew support measures to address weaknesses exposed by the incident and cross-border delays.