New Delhi:
Former UFC light-weight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was faraway from a Frontier Airways flight at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Worldwide Airport following a dispute with airline employees concerning his seating. A video of the incident, which the fighter described as “unfair,” has gone viral on social media.
In a submit on X (previously Twitter) on Monday, Mr Nurmagomedov supplied his account of the incident.
“Initially, I must make clear that it was @FlyFrontier not AlaskaAir. Girl who involves me with questions was very impolite from the very starting, regardless that I communicate very respectable English and may perceive all the things and agreed to help, she nonetheless insists on eradicating me from my seat,” he posted on X.
Initially, I must make clear that it was @FlyFrontier not AlaskaAir.
Girl who involves me with questions was very impolite from the very starting, regardless that I communicate very respectable English and may perceive all the things and agreed to help, she nonetheless insists on eradicating me from my…— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 12, 2025
The battle arose as Mr Nurmagomedov, who was seated in an exit row, was approached by a flight attendant questioning his capacity to help different passengers in an emergency. It is a customary requirement for passengers occupying seats within the exit row. Nonetheless, Mr Nurmagomedov said that regardless of his willingness to conform, he was handled rudely from the outset.
UFC World Champion #khabibnurmagomedov faraway from @FlyFrontier airplane as a result of somebody reported that she will not be snug he’s sitting subsequent to the emergency exit. The one motive that involves the thoughts that she is aware of he’s Professional-#Palestine and Anti-#Israel.
Actually they need to… pic.twitter.com/wDBQuV0mkB— Shaheen (@shaheena45) January 13, 2025
In a video recorded by a fellow passenger, a flight attendant will be heard saying, “We can not can help you sit within the exit row… I’m not going to do that backwards and forwards. I am going to go name a supervisor. You’ll be able to both take a distinct seat or we will go forward and escort you off the airplane.”
The 36-year-old fighter responded, saying, “It is not truthful,” and defined that he had absolutely complied with the onboarding course of. “Once I was in check-in, they requested me, do I do know English… and I mentioned sure. Then why you guys do that?”
Regardless of his protests, the airline employees insisted on both transferring him to a different seat or eradicating him from the flight. After a quick trade, safety was referred to as, and Mr Nurmagomedov was escorted off the plane.
“After two minutes of dialog, she referred to as safety, and I used to be deplaned from this plane. After 1.5 hours, I boarded one other airline and left for my vacation spot. I did my greatest to remain calm and respectful as you possibly can see on the video. However these crew members may do higher subsequent time and simply be good with shoppers,” Mr Nurmagomedov added.
Mr Nurmagomedov, one of many best fighters in UFC historical past, retired from blended martial arts with an undefeated file of 29-0. He was reportedly travelling to California to help his teammates forward of UFC 311. Scheduled to happen in Los Angeles, the occasion options two title fights involving his protege Islam Makhachev, who will defend his light-weight title in opposition to Arman Tsarukyan, and Umar Nurmagomedov, who is about to problem Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight championship.
Frontier Airways has not issued a public assertion concerning the incident.