Frontier Airways is adamant they have been NOT within the incorrect once they booted UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov off a flight this weekend … claiming the 29-0 fighter ignored a flight attendant’s directions earlier than takeoff.
However, TMZ Sports activities simply spoke to somebody near Khabib, who says that is merely false.
First, Frontier’s aspect of issues. The airline says Khabib — who was seated in an exit row — failed to point he was keen and in a position to help within the occasion of an emergency.
“Mr. Nurmagomedov didn’t reply, regardless of repeated makes an attempt, which positioned him in non-compliance with FAA necessities,” Frontier informed us in a press release.
As a substitute of kicking him off the aircraft, the attendant gave the retired fighter two choices — swap seats or deplane.
The airline additionally added the video making rounds on social media didn’t seize this a part of the incident.
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Frontier additionally made it clear the “resolution to deplane the shopper was on no account associated to his ethnicity.”
We hit up Khabib’s supervisor, Ali Abdelaziz, who informed us Frontier’s model of the story is fiction, including his shopper insists he made it clear he was completely able to serving to if issues went south.
“Woman who involves me with questions was very impolite from the very starting, although I communicate very respectable English and may perceive every little thing and agreed to help, she nonetheless insists on eradicating me from my seat. What was the bottom for that, racial, nationwide or different one, I am undecided,” Nurmagomedov defined on Sunday.
“However after 2 minutes of dialog, she referred to as safety and I used to be deplaned from this plane, after 1.5 hour I boarded one other airline one and left to my vacation spot. I did my finest to remain calm and respectful as you’ll be able to see on the video. However these crew members might do higher subsequent time and simply be good with shoppers.”
Regardless of the uncomfortable state of affairs, we’re informed Khabib needs to maneuver on … and is concentrated on UFC 311 on Saturday.