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
Source:
https://scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3038247/black-eyed-peas-william-names-and-shames-racist-qantas Australasia
Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am names and shames ‘racist’ Qantas stewardess
- The 44-year-old artist took to Twitter to make the accusation after Australian federal police were called on him for not putting his laptop away promptly
- Qantas has now offered the stewardess involved in the row legal assistance if she decides to take the matter further
Black Eyed Peas musician will.i.am. Photo: AP
Australia’s flagship airline, Qantas, on Monday denied that one of its flight attendants had discriminated against will.i.am and said it stood ready to offer legal assistance to the staff member after the Black Eyed Peas co-founder named her on social media.
The US singer, born William Adams, had taken a flight about 1-1/2-hours long to Sydney, Australia’s most populous city, from northeastern Brisbane to play at a concert on Saturday, but was met by Australian federal police at the arrival gate.
He said on Twitter he was racially targeted by an airline attendant, whom he identified by name, after failing to put away his laptop as the flight prepared to land, because he had put on noise-cancelling headphones to “make beats”.
Qantas, which called the incident a “misunderstanding”, said it had investigated the complaint but could not substantiate the claims and has requested the rapper to retract his statement.
“Absent a retraction, and if the crew member wanted to take the matter further, we’d certainly be willing to provide legal support for them to do this,” a spokesman said in a statement.
A Qantas Boeing 737-800 aircraft is seen taxiing at Sydney Airport. Photo: EPA
Police confirmed they spoke to crew and passengers at the airport, but said no further action was required. “The Australian Federal Police considers this matter finalised,” they said in a statement.
On Saturday, will.i.am said in a post on Twitter, “Is calling the police on a passenger for not hearing (the) P.A. due to wearing noise-cancelling headphones appropriate?”
He added, “If didn’t put away my laptop ‘in a rapid 2min time’ I’d understand. I did comply quickly & politely, only to be greeted by police. I think I was targeted.”
I am in the public eye & I behave even when I have a bad day...my mother raised me to be polite & treat people with respect...being a public figure puts extra guards rails so I stay polite & serve...everyone should operate with respect. especially people who serve the public https://t.co/bDKRkNEPrj
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 18, 2019
As of Monday, will.i.am had not made any retraction on social media, even as other commenters pointed out that the crew member he identified had received threats on social media as a result.
He pointed out that if he were rude to a fan or journalist, he would be publicly named.
“This is what Twitter is for … we are supposed to call out wrongdoings so we can have a safer, more compassionate world,” will.i.am said.
Reuters was not able to contact the rapper through his agency, and he did not immediately respond to a request for comment on social media.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg