Will.i.am has shared his terrible experience onboard a Qantas flight from Brisbane to Sydney. He called out the flight attendant on Twitter after a misunderstanding led to a flight attendant calling the police on the musician.
According to the former Black Eyed Peas singer, he was wearing noise cancelling headphones while the announcements were going on over the PA and said that he complied with the flight stewdardess’ requests to put his laptop away.
Despite being “polite” he was asked to step aside by the police when he landed.
I’m currently on a flight from Brisbane to Sydney.
I’m sorry to say me and my group have experienced they worse service due to a overly aggressive flight attendant…
I don’t want to believe she racist.
But she has clearly aimed all her frustrations only at the people of colour— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
Tweeting a picture of a police officer, Will.i.am then tweeted his experience on landing saying: “This is how your greeted when you land from Brisbane to Sydney flying @qantas with a #RacistFlightattendant named…She sent the police after me bacause I couldn’t hear the P.A while making beats on the plane wearing noise canceling headphones…”
.@Qantas Your #RacistFlightattendant was beyond rude & took it to the next level by calling the police on me. thank god the other passengers testified that SHE was out of Control the police finally let me go. imagine if the police were as aggressive as Lorraine Marshall
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
After he was criticised on Twitter for revealing the flight attendant’s name, but he hit back at his detractors saying he did “nothing wrong”.
I was intimidated by 5 police officers when I landed…for what? I put away my laptop when she asked…why would she feel threatened by me to call the police? What did I do wrong? I wasn’t out of hand.. I was polite & did what she asked… now you’re asking me to take abuse? https://t.co/1390ThymY3
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
This is me filing a “proper complaint”…this way I know my complaint & treatment will be heard…I’m using the same tool you would use if you were wrongly accused of doing something & pulled away by police officers. I still don’t know what I did wrong for police to come https://t.co/i3ShYc3PaX
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
Other passengers on the flight also tweeted in support of the musician.
I was on the same flight and couldn’t believe the appalling behaviour of the flight attendant. My apologies on behalf of Australia.
— Kate Selway (@kate_selway) November 16, 2019
He later asked his fans not to attack the woman named in his tweet.
Please do not send Hate…This type of disrespect and name calling is uncalled for…I don’t support abuse & attacks like this…I hope that everyone can be more compassionate & understanding towards one another…because it was the lack of compassion that caused this #noH8 pic.twitter.com/zNwoIyyaBP
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
Qantas did respond to his complaint in a statement to The Independent and said:
“There was a misunderstanding on board, which seems to have been exacerbated by will.i.am wearing noise-cancelling headphones and not being able to hear instructions from crew.
“We completely reject the suggestion this had anything to do with race. We’ll be following up with will.i.am and wish him well for the rest of the tour.”
