‘Very Rude’: UFC Champion Khabib Removed From Flight By Woke Airline After Emergency Row Dispute

Frontier Airlines says they’re all about “inclusion,” but that inclusion wasn’t very evident in the airline’s treatment of Russian mixed-martial artist Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Khabib was escorted off a flight by Frontier Airlines after a dispute over whether he could stay in his emergency row exit seat. The all-time great fighter was on his way to Southern California to help train his cousin for a fight on Saturday — a fight that Jeremy’s Razors is sponsoring. 

While sitting in his seat on the emergency exit row awaiting takeoff, Khabib alleged that he was approached by a woman “who comes to me with questions was very rude from the very beginning, even though I speak very decent English and can understand everything and agreed to assist, she still insists on removing me from my seat.”

Khabib added, “What was the base for that, racial, national or other one, I’m not sure.

But after 2 minutes of conversation, she called security and I was deplaned from this aircraft, after 1.5 hour I boarded another airline one and left to my destination. I did my best to stay calm and respectful as you can see on the video. But those crew members could do better next time and just be nice with clients.” 

According to a statement Frontier Airlines gave to CNN, “a flight attendant initiated the customary briefing for exit row passengers” and Khabib, “who was seated in an exit row, was asked multiple times if he was willing and able to assist in the event of an emergency.”

“According to the flight attendant, Mr. Nurmagomedov did not respond, despite repeated attempts, which placed him in non-compliance with FAA requirements. As a result, he was asked to move to a different upgraded seat which he refused to do,” the statement added. “Therefore, in accordance with airline and FAA policy, he was asked to deplane. The decision to deplane the customer was in no way related to his ethnicity and we have refunded him and his traveling companions for their flights.”

Frontier Airlines — which has gone out of its way to preach the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI message, saying that “The Sky is for Everyone” — apparently didn’t believe the sky was for Khabib, at least not on that plane. 

A video on social media shows part of the interaction between Khabib and a gate agent who came on the plane to confront the fighter after a flight attendant complained. In the video, Khabib tells the gate agent that he knows English and can help assist in the emergency exit row. He added that the flight attendant “doesn’t understand what she’s talking about.” 

“It’s not about the language,” the agent said, adding, “So what we’re going to do is we’re either gonna have you switch your seat or because my flight attendants are not allowing you to sit in the exit row or you’re gonna have to get off this plane and then we’ll have to re-book you.” 

“Because of what?” Khabib asked. 

“Because they’re not comfortable with you sitting in the emergency exit row.” 

Frontier sent a statement to MMA Junkie on Monday, saying, that the videos on social media do not “capture” the entire interaction “and instead show a subsequent interaction after a gate agent entered the plane and reiterated the option to be reseated.”

As a result of the customer’s initial unresponsiveness and repeated declinations of a seat change, he was asked to deplane per airline and FAA policy. The decision to deplane the customer was in no way related to his ethnicity, and we have refunded him and his traveling companions for their flights,” Frontier stated.  

Frontier Airlines is a major supporter of woke causes such as DEI and LGBTQ “Pride Month,” writing in 2022, “Every June we celebrate Pride Month, which commemorates the triumphs and challenges of the LGBTQIA+ community.” 

Khabib will coach his cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, for his upcoming fight against Merab Dvalishvili for gold in UFC 311 on Saturday in Inglewood, California, sponsored by Jeremy’s Razors. Shave Boldly, Live Freely. Order a Jeremy’s Razors starter set today.

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UFC/Jeremy’s Razors

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