Virgin Atlantic passenger Salman Iftikhar defended by supermodel wife Abeer Rizvi for flight attendant outburst
The supermodel wife of the disgraced executive jailed for threatening to rape a flight attendant defended her husband days after he was sentenced for the harrowing incident.
Abeer Rizvi suggested her husband Salman Iftikhar’s mental health issues were the reason for his vile, first-class tirade directed at Virgin Atlantic flight attendant Angie Walsh during an eight-hour flight in 2023.
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“Mental health is not a joke. Behind every story, there’s pain you don’t see,” Rizvi wrote on her Instagram Story Thursday.
“Before judging, try understanding,” she said. “Be kind. Be human.”
Iftikhar, the founder of recruitment firm Staffing Match, is married to both Rizvi and Erum Salman, according to the Daily Mail.
Rizvi lives in Pakistan, where she operates a salon and posts glitzy photos of herself on social media to her half a million followers on TikTok and Instagram.
Iftikhar was traveling from London, England, to Lahore, Pakistan, with Salman and their three kids when he became intoxicated and disruptive on Feb. 7, 2023.
The 37-year-old father of three was downing champagne in front of his children during the flight’s first-meal service when he reached over the counter and began grabbing ice for himself using his hands, according to the Mirror.
Cabin crew staffers reprimanded Iftikhar, telling him to go back to his seat when the crazed passenger launched into his tirade.
“Don’t tell me what to do, you racist f–king bitch. I know where you are from in Cardiff,” Iftikhar screamed during the flight, according to the outlet.
Iftikhar attempted to fight male flight attendant Tommy Merchant before escalating the situation and horrifyingly identifying the hotel room Walsh would be staying in at the Avari Lahore Hotel.
“The white sheep s–ing bitch will be dead. The floor of your hotel will be blown up and it will disappear,” Iftikhar shouted, according to the Mirror. “You will be dragged by your hair from your room and gang-raped and set on fire.”
Officials managed to get the hotheaded executive to return to his seat and Iftikhar was allowed off the flight without any police intervention in Pakistan.
Police in England arrested Iftikhar at his $1.2 million home in Iver, England, on March 16, 2024.
Staffing Match, which Iftikhar and Salmar ran, went bankrupt after amassing $22.8 million of debt following the executive’s arrest, the Daily Mail reported.
Iftikhar admitted to making the threats to kill and the racial harassment of Walsh during the flight, but denied any harassment charges stemming from his altercation with Merchant.
Iftikhar was sentenced to 15 months in prison for his outburst on Tuesday during a hearing at Isleworth Crown Court.
Walsh testified during the hearing, saying she was left traumatized from the incident and forced to take 14 months off work in the aftermath.
“I am a strong, brave, happy stewardess, and loved my job. I am well-known within the company. I have been flying with Virgin Atlantic for 37 years. I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I’ve even flown into a warzone. But this incident has broken me,” she read in a victim impact statement.
“Never in my entire career flying for 37 years have I not been sure what to do. I have had the best career in the world for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me,” she added.
Virgin Atlantic supported Walsh for her bravery in speaking out during Iftikhar’s court hearing.
“The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority, and we take a zero-tolerance approach to any disruptive or abusive behaviour on board our aircraft,” a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told The Post. “We will always work closely with the relevant authorities and will not hesitate to seek prosecution for those individuals who cause disruption onboard through unacceptable behaviour.”
“We’re incredibly grateful to Angie and our cabin crew onboard who dealt with this distressing situation in a calm, courageous and professional manner. We are proud of Angie for her bravery in court and we will continue to offer her our full support.”
Salman hasn’t publicly commented on her husband’s jail sentence.
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