Lufthansa has agreed to pay a record $4 million fine following accusations of discrimination against Jewish passengers, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Tuesday.
The case originates from a May 2022 incident involving 131 passengers flying from New York City to Budapest with a layover in Frankfurt. These passengers were travelling to attend a memorial event for an Orthodox rabbi, and many wore the traditional black hats and jackets commonly associated with Orthodox Jewish men.
Why Will Lufthansa Pay $4 Million In Fine?
According to the DOT’s consent order, the passengers did not know each other and did not book their flights as a group, but Lufthansa treated them as one entity. The airline prevented 128 of the Jewish passengers from boarding their connecting flight due to the alleged actions of a few.
Flight crew members claimed that during the first leg from New York to Frankfurt, some passengers repeatedly ignored instructions to wear face masks and avoid gathering in the aisles, in violation of German COVID-19 regulations. However, the airline did not identify which individuals were non-compliant.
Video footage reported at the time showed Lufthansa staff saying, “everyone has to pay” for the actions of a few, specifically targeting “Jewish coming from JFK.” As a result, Lufthansa’s security team blocked 128 Jewish passengers from boarding the connecting flight to Budapest.
This decision led to confusion and frustration among the passengers, many of whom were forced to alter their travel plans. While most passengers were rebooked on later flights, some had to make alternative arrangements.
The DOT received over 40 complaints of discrimination from Jewish passengers following the incident, leading its Office of Aviation Consumer Protection to investigate. Most passengers stated they were treated as a single group and denied boarding solely because they were visibly Jewish.
