German airline fined for discriminating against Jewish passengers

Lufthansa agreed on Tuesday to pay a $4 million (€3.67 million) fine for allegedly discriminating against Jewish passengers at Frankfurt airport in May 2022.

The DOT said Lufthansa's penalty was the largest it had ever imposed on an airline for civil rights violations. Photo: PA

Lufthansa employees barred 128 passengers, most of whom were wearing traditional Orthodox Jewish garb, from boarding a connecting flight to Budapest, Hungary, because some were not wearing masks, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The passengers were flying from New York to Frankfurt and told investigators they were not traveling in a group and did not know each other.

However, Lufthansa treated them as a single group and refused to let them all board the plane simply because of the misconduct of a few.

Lufthansa denied that its staff had discriminated against it, saying that up to 60 passengers were not wearing masks at the same time. The airline also explained that the incident “came about due to a series of miscommunications, misunderstandings and misjudgments in the decision-making process.”

Despite this, Lufthansa agreed to pay a $4 million fine, $2 million of which was paid as compensation to the passengers involved. The airline has also cooperated fully with the DOT since the incident and established the industry’s first training program for managers and employees on how to deal with anti-Semitism and discrimination.

The DOT said the fine is the largest the agency has ever imposed on an airline for civil rights violations.

“No one should have to face discrimination when traveling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Today’s action sends a clear message to the aviation industry that we will investigate and take action when passengers’ civil rights are violated.”

Hong Hanh (according to DW)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/my-phat-nang-hang-khong-duc-vi-sai-pham-voi-nguoi-do-thai-tu-thoi-covid-post317046.html