Airline tells Madden to cover tattoos

Good Charlotte's Joel Madden was reportedly told that he could not board a British Airways flight without covering his tattoos.

Madden claimed that an airline representative prevented him from boarding a Saturday evening flight from London to Lisbon until he "put long sleeves on", says E!.

"Yes, I covered up to board the BA flight. I didn't want to miss it," he wrote on Twitter. "Honestly, I was embarrassed, all the people were staring and laughing!

"It's not in the rules I can find. My tats aren't offensive."

Madden also said he told the employee that the situation was a case of discrimination and that he threatened to write a "nasty letter".

"The guy was literally disgusted by me," he said.