Frontier Airlines addressed a viral video incident involving Khabib Nurmagomedov being removed from a flight due to non-compliance with exit row requirements, denying any ethnic bias, while the Council on American-Islamic Relations called for an investigation into potential racial or religious profiling.
Frontier Airlines has responded to the viral video featuring retired UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov being escorted off a flight. The incident happened on a trip from Las Vegas to San Francisco, where Khabib was asked to vacate his exit row seat.
Captured by another passenger, the video shows a flight attendant requesting Khabib to change seats. The staff felt “not comfortable” with him in an exit row. After some back-and-forth, Khabib chose to leave the plane rather than switch seats.
On Monday, Frontier Airlines released a statement addressing the situation. They denied singling out Khabib due to his ethnicity. Here’s what they said:
“On Jan. 11, 2025, during flight 4401’s departure preparations, Khabib was seated in an exit row and was asked multiple times if he could assist in an emergency. He reportedly didn’t respond, which is against FAA rules. Hence, he was offered a different seat or the option to deplane.”
The statement continued: “Social media videos don’t show the initial interaction but focus on a later one after a gate agent reiterated the seat change options. Due to non-compliance and refusal to switch seats, Khabib was asked to deplane per policy. Ethnicity wasn’t a factor; refunds were issued for him and his companions.”
After the video’s release, Khabib spoke out about the incident, claiming the flight attendant was “very rude” from the start. “I stayed calm and respectful as seen in the video,” he said. “The crew could improve by being nicer to clients next time.”
Despite Frontier’s denial of any racial motive, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) demanded an investigation. They called for transparency from Frontier and urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to investigate potential profiling.
CAIR’s Executive Director Nihad Awad stated, “We want clarity on why Khabib was treated this way and if profiling occurred.” He emphasized frequent profiling incidents against visibly Muslim travelers and urged Frontier to release their findings publicly.
As it stands, Frontier Airlines seems not to be planning an investigation. However, they have refunded Khabib and his companions following his removal from the aircraft.