German carrier fined for 'discriminating' against Jewish flyers
The US Department of Transportation has imposed a historic $4 million penalty on Lufthansa for denying boarding to 128 Orthodox Jewish men. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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In May 2022, Lufthansa denied more than 120 Orthodox Jewish men the opportunity to board their connecting flight, leading to significant consequences for the airline.
The US Department of Transportation has announced a $4 million penalty against the German national carrier for reportedly discriminating against a group of Jewish passengers.
A statement from the DOT on Tuesday revealed that 128 Jewish passengers—many of whom were dressed in traditional Orthodox attire—were barred from boarding a connecting flight in Frankfurt while traveling from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to Budapest, Hungary.
The department reported receiving over 40 complaints from Jewish passengers who were booked on that flight. After investigating these complaints, the DOT found that Lufthansa had denied the entire group the chance to continue their journey to Budapest based on alleged misconduct by a few individuals. Reports indicated that some passengers had purportedly refused to wear face masks as required by the airline.
“Based on the alleged misconduct of some passengers,” the department noted, Lufthansa staff “treated them all as if they were a single group and denied them boarding,” even though many passengers were not acquainted or traveling together.
Local German media at the time indicated that airline staff specifically targeted those identifiable as Jewish, recognized by their skullcaps or sidelocks. A video from the incident showed Lufthansa personnel informing passengers that “everyone has to pay” for the mistakes of a few.
The DOT's fine against Lufthansa represents the largest ever imposed by the agency for “discrimination.”
“No one should face discrimination when they travel, and today’s action sends a clear message to the airline industry that we are prepared to investigate and take action whenever passengers’ civil rights are violated,” US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated.
In response to the incident, Lufthansa released a statement indicating that it had fully cooperated with the DOT during the investigation. The airline had previously expressed its regret over the situation, declaring a “zero tolerance for racism, antisemitism and discrimination of any type.” Furthermore, the company mentioned having reached a settlement with most of the excluded Jewish passengers.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
The US Department of Transportation has announced a $4 million penalty against the German national carrier for reportedly discriminating against a group of Jewish passengers.
A statement from the DOT on Tuesday revealed that 128 Jewish passengers—many of whom were dressed in traditional Orthodox attire—were barred from boarding a connecting flight in Frankfurt while traveling from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to Budapest, Hungary.
The department reported receiving over 40 complaints from Jewish passengers who were booked on that flight. After investigating these complaints, the DOT found that Lufthansa had denied the entire group the chance to continue their journey to Budapest based on alleged misconduct by a few individuals. Reports indicated that some passengers had purportedly refused to wear face masks as required by the airline.
“Based on the alleged misconduct of some passengers,” the department noted, Lufthansa staff “treated them all as if they were a single group and denied them boarding,” even though many passengers were not acquainted or traveling together.
Local German media at the time indicated that airline staff specifically targeted those identifiable as Jewish, recognized by their skullcaps or sidelocks. A video from the incident showed Lufthansa personnel informing passengers that “everyone has to pay” for the mistakes of a few.
The DOT's fine against Lufthansa represents the largest ever imposed by the agency for “discrimination.”
“No one should face discrimination when they travel, and today’s action sends a clear message to the airline industry that we are prepared to investigate and take action whenever passengers’ civil rights are violated,” US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated.
In response to the incident, Lufthansa released a statement indicating that it had fully cooperated with the DOT during the investigation. The airline had previously expressed its regret over the situation, declaring a “zero tolerance for racism, antisemitism and discrimination of any type.” Furthermore, the company mentioned having reached a settlement with most of the excluded Jewish passengers.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
