Lufthansa refused boarding for 128 Jewish passengers and was fined $4 million by the United States
In May 2022, Lufthansa denied boarding to 128 Jewish passengers, resulting in a $4 million fine from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), of which $2 million will be deducted as part of a legal settlement.
The DOT's investigation report indicated that this fine is the largest issued by the agency for civil rights violations. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated, "Today's action sends a clear message to the airline industry: no one should face discrimination while traveling."
The incident arose when some passengers failed to follow crew instructions during the flight, including wearing masks and not congregating in aisles. After the captain reported the issue to Lufthansa's security department, the passengers, who were wearing "special attire typical of Orthodox Jewish men," led to all Jewish passengers dressed similarly being viewed as a group. As a result, the tickets of over a hundred Jewish passengers were withheld, and they were all prevented from boarding connecting flights.
Lufthansa issued a statement asserting, "We are committed to being a representative of goodwill, tolerance, diversity, and acceptance." The airline denied any discrimination, attributing the incident to "a series of unfortunate miscommunications, misunderstandings, and misjudgments." Lufthansa also expressed its willingness to fully cooperate with the DOT's review process and hopes to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
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