Iver man gets longer jail sentence for rape and murder threats to air stewardess

A jailed Iver man who subjected an air stewardess to threats of rape and murder while on a plane to Pakistan has had his sentence tripled.  

Salman Iftikhar, 38, launched the drunken tirade of abuse after he was asked to return to his seat on a long-haul flight from London to Lahore in early 2023.

Iftikhar, who was travelling with his family, racially abused a stewardess, swore at her, and threatened that she would be raped and killed in her hotel room.

A review of his initial 15-month prison sentence has now seen it upped to more than four years.

Solicitor General Rt Hon Ellie Reeves MP said: “Salman Iftikhar made horrific threats of rape and violence against an air steward who was simply doing her job.

“His tirade of hate and abuse caused distress and anguish for the whole flight, and all of our thoughts today should be with the cabin crew and passengers who suffered from Iftikhar’s vile behaviour.” 

A statement from the victim said she had needed to take 14 months off work following the abuse and had been left ‘haunted and traumatised’.

Iftikhar committed his verbal assault on an eight-hour flight to Pakistan on February 7, 2023.

After brazenly grabbing some ice with his bare hands while drunk, he was asked to return to his seat by a member of the flight’s cabin crew.

Then, he hurled abuse at the lead cabin crew member. Iftikhar said the air stewardess would be raped and murdered in her hotel room in Pakistan.

Other cabin crew were also targeted in the attack as Iftikhar threatened that the hotel they were staying in would be blown up.

The drunken ranting continued over the eight-hour flight and became so serious that staff on the plane considered diverting to Turkey.

Iftikhar was jailed for 15 months after he pleaded guilty to charges of threats to kill and racially aggravated intentional harassment at Isleworth Crown Court on August 1.

But a review of the case was launched after requests, including from Shadow Home Secretary and Conservative MP Chris Philp.

In a letter to the Attorney General, Mr Philp said, ‘Given the severity of the threats and the language used by Iftikhar, I believe this sentence should be reconsidered and increased’.

On 11 November 2025, his sentence was increased to four years and three months following a referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

Ms Reeves said: “Law officers referred Iftikhar’s sentence to the Court of Appeal after several requests to review the case from members of the public.

“I hope this brings comfort and a sense of justice to those impacted, and underlines that our criminal justice system works for victims and vulnerable people.”