ATLANTA (WSB/CNN) – A black pro-skateboarder believes both his race and his brand’s logo, which features two guns, led to discrimination that got him kicked off a Frontier Airlines airplane.
Justin Mallory makes a living with his skateboard and his brand, but the man says that’s exactly what got him trouble on a Frontier flight out of Atlanta.
Mallory says the airline told him the business logo on his shirt, which contains two guns and two skulls, made another passenger uncomfortable
"I was flabbergasted. I was taken aback,” Mallory said. "The shirt is just a graphic."
Mallory’s lawyer, Mawuli Davis, calls this a case of discrimination.
"The shirt, some would say he's dressed in a hip hop fashion, and he's African American – so those three things may have all contributed to the discrimination and profiling against him," Davis said.
Frontier Airlines tells a much different story, indicating in a statement that neither Mallory’s shirt nor race had anything to do with why he was removed from the flight.
The company says Mallory “became argumentative prior to boarding when asked to check his skateboard,” and once he entered the plane he “continued to exhibit disruptive behavior.”
Mallory says the airline’s account of events is false. He and his lawyer are considering a lawsuit.
"I hope it doesn't happen to anyone else. I wouldn't wish it on someone,” Mallory said.
After he was kicked off the flight, Mallory says he missed a skateboarding trade show, where he planned to promote his brand.
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