German airline blocked 128 Jewish travellers over alleged misbehaviour of a few passengers, US authorities say.
Lufthansa has agreed to a $4m fine over an incident in which more than 100 Jewish travellers were barred from boarding their flight.
The German airline blocked the travellers – many of whom were wearing distinctive clothing typically worn by Orthodox Jewish men – from boarding a connecting flight in Frankfurt in May 2022 based on the alleged misbehaviour of a few passengers, the US Department of Transportation said on Tuesday.
Passengers interviewed by authorities said the airline had treated the 128 Jewish travellers travelling from New York City to Budapest as a “single group” even though many of them did not know each other and were not travelling together, the DOT said.
The department said the penalty was the largest it had ever issued against an airline for violating civil rights law.
“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.
Lufthansa said it fully cooperated with US authorities and that its longstanding mission has been to “connect people, cultures, and economies in a sustainable way”.
“We remain focused on the many efforts which have been initiated including, partnering with American Jewish Committee (AJC), a highly respected and globally recognized advocacy organization and thought leader,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
“Through our ongoing collaboration, we have curated a first-of-its kind training program in the airline industry for our managers and employees to address antisemitism and discrimination. Lufthansa is dedicated to being an ambassador of goodwill, tolerance, diversity, and acceptance. 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.”
In its response to the DOT, Lufthansa had said it regretted and had publicly apologised for the incident, which resulted from an “unfortunate series of inaccurate communications, misinterpretations, and misjudgments”, according to a legal order filed by the department.
The carrier, however, said staff handled the situation “without awareness of the passengers’ ethnicity or religion” and that its actions, “although regrettable, do not support any finding of discrimination and the Department’s findings in this case”.
Lufthansa said the misbehaviour involving a number of passengers included obstructing flight attendants and arguing with the crew about wearing masks.
The DOT said in its order that the airline had “concluded it was not practical to address each passenger individually”.