UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov was removed from a Frontier Airlines flight for not complying with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements, not because of his English fluency as he claimed. The incident occurred on Jan. 11, 2025, as the flight from Las Vegas to San Francisco was preparing for departure. A flight attendant asked Nurmagomedov, who was seated in an exit row, if he was willing and able to assist in case of an emergency.

 Despite multiple attempts, Nurmagomedov did not respond, which put him in non-compliance with FAA regulations. The flight attendant offered him a seat change or the option to leave the plane.

Nurmagomedov claimed that the flight attendant was rude and suggested the incident may have been based on racial or national bias. However, Frontier Airlines refuted these claims, stating that the decision to ask Nurmagomedov to deplane was solely based on his non-compliance with FAA requirements. The airline emphasized that the situation had nothing to do with Nurmagomedov's ethnicity, and they have refunded him and his companions for their flights.

Videos of the incident circulated on social media but did not capture the initial interaction between Nurmagomedov and the flight attendant. The footage only showed a subsequent interaction after a gate agent entered the plane and reiterated the option for Nurmagomedov to be reseated. Frontier Airlines maintained that their decision to remove Nurmagomedov was in accordance with airline and FAA policies regarding passenger compliance on flights.

Overall, Frontier Airlines stands by their decision to remove Nurmagomedov from the flight and continues to refute claims of racial or national bias in the incident.