Hip-hop icon will.i.am accuses Qantas flight attendant of racism during flight to Sydney

Hip-hop icon will.i.am has lambasted a Qantas flight attendant, accusing her of racism, following an incident which resulted in police being called.

Meanwhile, another passenger on the flight apologised on "behalf of Australia" and said they couldn't believe the behaviour of the attendant.

Will.i.am, who will perform with the Black Eyed Peas at 'Friday Jams' in Auckland tomorrow, claimed on Twitter he was targeted because he was "of colour".

Flying from Brisbane to Sydney in Australia, the 44-year-old said the flight attendant abused him for not putting away his laptop fast enough.

The musician was wearing noise-cancelling headphones while creating tracks on his laptop and he was unable to hear the P.A. system, he said.

"I'm sorry to say me and my group have experienced they worse service due to a overly aggressive flight attendant," he wrote.

"I don't want to believe she racist. But she has clearly aimed all her frustrations only at the people of colour."

.@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

Later, he followed up the first tweet with a second featuring a picture of a policeman and named the attendant, labelling her racist.

"This is how your greeted when you land from Brisbane to Sydney flying @qantas with a #RacistFlightattendant".

"She sent the police after me bacause I couldn't hear the PA while making beats on the plane wearing noise canceling headphones [sic]."

In another tweet, the musician said police officers let him go after other passengers testified on his behalf.

A person who responded to will.i.am's tweet in defence of the attendant for doing her job also received harsh words from the music icon.

No one said she was a white supremest... I said she singled every person of colourbin the flight and gave them a hard time...and went to the extreme of calling the police on me when I did nothing wrong...other passengers on the flight agreed that she was out of hand... https://t.co/fyh6DUb9F8

— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019

"Lmao you can't name and target people because hey did their jobs...", the Twitter user wrote.

"Is callin the police on a passenger for not hearing he P.A due to wearing noise canceling headphones appropriate? [sic]," will.i.am said in a retweet.

"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."

Friday Jams will be held tomorrow at Western Springs Stadium in Auckland with tickets to the event still available online at Ticketmaster.

A number of big-name celebrity musicians would join Will.i.am's Black Eyed Peas, including Jason Derulo, Keri Hilson, and Sisqo.