Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has been kicked off a Frontier Airlines
flight following an incident related to being seated on an exit row onboard the airline’s aircraft.

Kicked off a Frontier Airlines flight

In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Nurmagomedov clarified that he was kicked off a Frontier Airlines flight. The Russian national alleged that the flight attendant who came over was “very rude” from the beginning, noting that he does speak “very decent English and can understand everything […].”

Nurmagomedov said he had agreed to assist the cabin crew in case of an evacuation, but the flight attendant still insisted on removing him from his seat, questioning the basis of her decision, which could have been made based on race, nationality, or other factors.

After two minutes of conversation, the flight attendant called security, and Nurmagomedov deplaned the aircraft, according to his recollection of the event. Subsequently, the mixed martial artist (MMA) boarded another flight on a different airline to fly to his destination.

A Frontier Airlines aircraft on the apron at Denver International Airport.

Photo: Frontier Airlines

“I did my best to stay calm and respectful, as you can see on the video. But those crew members could do better next time and just be nice with clients.”

Frontier Airlines responded to Nurmagomedov’s post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was aware of the incident and was investigating it. Simple Flying has approached the carrier for comment. Nurmagomedov retired from the UFC with a perfect 29-0 record in 2020 after beating Justin Gaethje. His retirement was confirmed in 2021, and the UFC vacated his title in March 2021.

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Premium seat

According to Frontier Airlines’ seat maps on its website, all of its Airbus A320ceo
, A320neo, A321ceo, and A321neo aircraft have exit row seats marketed as ‘Premium.’ Some of these seats are in front of the aircraft, behind the UpFront Plus seats, which offer premium seating in the first two rows of the cabin with a blocked middle seat.

Passengers must pay extra to book ‘Premium’ seats on Frontier Airlines aircraft. The airline’s Premium bundle, which also offers a personal item, carry-on bag, priority boarding, and no change/cancelation fee, allows travelers to select a ‘Premium’ seat.

Frontier Airlines cabin

Photo: Frontier Airlines

The airline introduced the bundles in May 2024, presenting them as part of the ‘New Frontier,’ delivering even better value for money with more transparent pricing and no change fees, resulting in an enhanced customer experience.

In April 2024, the Department of Transportation (DOT) introduced rules to protect passengers against the so-called ‘junk fees.’ As such, the airline, like its other low-cost counterparts in the US, has been struggling to attract customers as their preferences have switched to more premium travel options.

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Exit row rules

The US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) stipulates that no airline may seat a traveler on an exit row if the “certificate holder” determines that the person cannot perform specific functions while sitting in the exit row.

This includes sufficient physical capabilities or the ability to understand “instructions required by this section and related to emergency evacuation provided by the certificate holder in printed or graphic form or the ability to understand oral crew commands.”

Emergency Exit Rows

Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying

The CFR also noted that passengers do not have to disclose the reason why they would have to be reseated from an exit row. At the same time, the airline may deny transporting passengers only because the traveler refuses to “comply with instructions given by a crewmember or other authorized employee of the certificate holder implementing exit seating restrictions” or if the only seat that would physically accommodate the person’s handicap is an exit seat.

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