Khabib Nurmagomedov Removed from Frontier Airlines Flight

Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former UFC champion refused to move from an exit row seat, prompting Frontier Airlines to escort him off the flight. The incident took place before takeoff on a flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, following a disagreement between Khabib and a flight attendant. A widely shared video shows the flight attendant asking Khabib to either move or leave the plane. The attendant explains that passengers in exit row seats must be willing and able to assist in an emergency.

Khabib responds by saying, “It’s not fair,” and insists on staying in the seat. When he refuses to comply, the attendant warns him she will call a supervisor. After a brief exchange, Khabib calmly exits the plane. Khabib later shared his side of the story on social media, saying that the flight attendant acted rudely from the start, despite his fluency in English and willingness to assist. He speculated that racial or national motives might have played a role in the interaction.

Nevertheless, he emphasized that he remained calm and respectful. Khabib Nurmagomedov rebooked on another flight and later departed for his destination. Frontier Airlines responded, stating they were investigating the incident. The airline clarified that Khabib had failed to confirm his ability to assist in an emergency, violating FAA regulations. As a result, the airline asked him to move to a different seat but Khabib refused which led to his deplaning. Frontier also confirmed they refunded Khabib and his companions’ flights. They assured that ethnicity did not factor into the decision.