Frontier Airways is adamant they’ve been NOT throughout the mistaken after they booted UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov off a flight this weekend … claiming the 29-0 fighter ignored a flight attendant’s instructions sooner than takeoff.
Nonetheless, TMZ Sports activities actions merely spoke to someone close to Khabib, who says that’s merely false.
First, Frontier’s side of points. The airline says Khabib — who was seated in an exit row — didn’t level he was ready and able to assist throughout the event of an emergency.
“Mr. Nurmagomedov didn’t reply, no matter repeated makes an try, which positioned him in non-compliance with FAA requirements,” Frontier suggested us in an announcement.
In its place of kicking him off the plane, the attendant gave the retired fighter two selections — change seats or deplane.
The airline moreover added the video making rounds on social media didn’t seize this part of the incident.
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Frontier moreover made it clear the “option to deplane the patron was by no means related to his ethnicity.”
We hit up Khabib’s supervisor, Ali Abdelaziz, who suggested us Frontier’s mannequin of the story is fiction, together with his shopper insists he made it clear he was utterly in a position to serving to if points went south.
“Lady who includes me with questions was very rude from the very beginning, although I converse very respectable English and should understand all of the items and agreed to assist, she nonetheless insists on eradicating me from my seat. What was the underside for that, racial, nationwide or totally different one, I’m undecided,” Nurmagomedov outlined on Sunday.
“Nonetheless after 2 minutes of dialog, she known as security and I was deplaned from this airplane, after 1.5 hour I boarded one different airline one and left to my trip spot. I did my best to stay calm and respectful as you might even see on the video. Nonetheless these crew members might do increased subsequent time and easily be good with buyers.”
Whatever the uncomfortable state of affairs, we’re suggested Khabib must maneuver on … and is targeting UFC 311 on Saturday.