Lufthansa fined $4M for discriminating against Jewish passengers
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Travelers queue at the Lufthansa airline counter in Terminal 1 in Frankfurt on Oct. 4. Photo: Andreas Arnold/picture alliance via Getty Images
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) levied a record fine against German airline Lufthansa Tuesday for discriminating against Jewish passengers who were stopped from boarding a 2022 flight.
Why it matters: The $4 million fine is the largest that the DOT has slapped an airline with for a civil rights violation.
- The department received over 40 discrimination complaints from Jewish passengers stemming from the incident.
- "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," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
Zoom in: In May 2022, the airline's staff prohibited 128 Jewish passengers from boarding their connecting flight though Frankfurt to Budapest, per the DOT.
- During the first travel leg from New York City to Germany, the captain alerted security that some passengers were not following crew instructions. However, the airline later failed to identify who specifically had ignored the crew's directions, which included wearing a face mask and not gathering in the aisles.
- The alert prompted a hold on over 100 passengers' tickets, all of whom were Jewish. Most were wearing traditional clothing worn by Orthodox Jewish men and were traveling to attend an annual memorial event, the DOT said.
- Despite many of the passengers not knowing one another or traveling together, the DOT said those affected felt that they were treated as if they were a single group responsible for the alleged misbehavior of a few individuals.
The fine print: The airline must pay $2 million in civil penalties within 30 days of Tuesday's order. The remaining amount is being credited for compensation that Lufthansa already paid to impacted passengers.
What they're saying: The airline said in a statement that it has fully cooperated with the DOT's review of the incident and has taken steps to address antisemitism.
- "Lufthansa is dedicated to being an ambassador of goodwill, tolerance, diversity, and acceptance," per the statement provided to Axios.
- It continued: "As the first airline to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, Lufthansa will continue to foster a thoughtful dialogue with Jewish communities and organizations around the world."
Go deeper: High Holy Days, Oct. 7 anniversary come amid rising antisemitism
