Wizz Air staff to learn Uzbek following incident with Rasul Kusherbayev

The airline agreed to introduce the Uzbek language on its flights after a conflict with the former deputy, who was asked to leave the aircraft for requesting safety instructions in a language other than English.

Photo: Anna Zvereva / Wikimedia Commons

Wizz Air will implement Uzbek-language services on flights to Uzbekistan following an incident involving the Advisor to the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, former deputy Rasul Kusherbayev.

On November 9 last year, Rasul Kusherbayev was flying from Samarkand to Abu Dhabi on a Wizz Air flight. During boarding, the crew informed him about safety procedures since he was seated in an emergency exit row. When Kusherbayev requested the instructions in Uzbek or Russian, the crew stated that it was not possible and asked him to leave the aircraft.

According to the former deputy, he was unaware that he would be seated in an emergency exit row, as the seat was assigned automatically. After he refused to leave the aircraft, a flight attendant threatened to report the situation to Abu Dhabi police. Upon arrival in the UAE, the police were called but advised both parties to resolve the issue independently.

Kusherbayev also stated that airline staff photographed his passport and informed him that he would no longer be able to use Wizz Air’s services as sanctions had been imposed against him. He viewed the airline’s actions as a sign of disrespect toward Uzbekistan’s official language.

The Committee for Competition Development and Consumer Rights Protection conducted an investigation. It confirmed that the crew had indeed provided safety information only in a foreign language. When the passenger requested an explanation in Uzbek or Russian, he was denied in a rude manner and was asked to leave the aircraft.

As a result, the committee sent a request to the Ministry of Transport, leading to measures being taken against the airline staff responsible for the violation. Additionally, crew members have been provided with training on communication etiquette, safety protocols, and adherence to national aviation regulations.

Wizz Air has announced that, starting this year, every flight to Uzbekistan will have at least one crew member who speaks Uzbek.

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