Wizz Air staff to learn Uzbek language after encounter with Rasul Kusherbayev
Wizz Air to Introduce Uzbek Language Services on Flights Following Passenger Incident
Wizz Air has made the decision to implement Uzbek-language services on flights to Uzbekistan after a controversial incident involving former deputy Rasul Kusherbayev, Advisor to the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change.
The incident took place on November 9 last year when Kusherbayev was flying from Samarkand to Abu Dhabi on a Wizz Air flight. During the boarding process, he was informed about safety procedures as he was seated in an emergency exit row. When he requested the instructions in Uzbek or Russian, the crew informed him that it was not possible and asked him to leave the aircraft.
Kusherbayev, who claimed he was unaware of his seat assignment in the emergency exit row, refused to leave the plane. A flight attendant then threatened to involve the Abu Dhabi police. Despite police being called upon arrival in the UAE, they advised both parties to resolve the issue independently.
The former deputy also reported that airline staff took a photo of his passport and informed him that he would no longer be able to use Wizz Air’s services due to sanctions imposed against him, which he interpreted as disrespect towards Uzbekistan’s official language.
An investigation by the Committee for Competition Development and Consumer Rights Protection confirmed that the crew had failed to provide safety information in Uzbek or Russian when requested by the passenger. As a result, the committee took action against the airline staff responsible for the violation and provided additional training to crew members on communication etiquette, safety protocols, and compliance with national aviation regulations.
In response to the incident, Wizz Air announced that starting this year, every flight to Uzbekistan will have at least one crew member who speaks Uzbek to better serve passengers who prefer to communicate in their native language.
