Isaac Brekken/Getty ImagesDiscrimination against people with tattoos is just plane crazy.
When heavily inked rocker Joel Madden attempted to board a British Airways flight from London to Lisbon on Saturday evening, he claimes he was ordered to hide his tats or stay in the U.K.
"Was just told by a british air person I can't get on the plane till I cover my tatts," he twittered. "I really actually am in shock he won't let me on the plane till I put long sleeves on and other BA rep is disagreeing."
The Good Charlotte star admitted he told the employee it was discrimination and threatened to write a nasty letter. "The guy was literally disgusted by me," he says.
In the end, however, he conceded, put on a long-sleeved shirt and boarded the flight:
"yes i covered up to board the BA flight," Nicole Richie's man wrote. "I didn't want to miss it. And honestly i was embarrrassed all the people were staring and laughing! its not in the rules that i can find.my tatts arent offensive. looking into it. i havent felt this small since the first time i asked nic out."
Richie is livid as well, writing on her Twitter, "all of @joelmadden 's tattos are spiritual. Since when is expressing your love for God & family against what British Airways stands for?"
Discrimination accusations aren't a new thing for airlines. United Airlines is now requiring oversized passengers to pay for an additional seat or a larger, business class seat, or risk being booted from the plane. In 2007, Southwest Airlines came under fire for barring a 23-year-old college student from flying for wearing a skirt that was deemed too short.