Headline: Lufthansa to Pay $4M in Response to Alleged Discrimination Incident

By David Shepardson

In May 2022, a notable incident took place on Lufthansa Airlines that has brought significant attention to the airline’s handling of alleged discriminatory practices. As reported by the U.S. Transportation Department, Lufthansa has conceded to pay a $4 million penalty. This comes in response to allegations that the airline discriminated against Jewish passengers who were attempting to board a connecting flight in Frankfurt.

The accusation involves 128 Jewish passengers, the majority of whom were dressed in attire typically worn by Orthodox Jewish men. According to the Transportation Department, Lufthansa denied these passengers boarding on a connecting flight in Germany due to supposed misconduct by certain passengers.

As per the testimonies gathered by Department of Transportation (DOT) investigators from the affected passengers, Lufthansa allegedly treated them as a single entity. Despite many of them being unrelated or not traveling together, they were all refused boarding due to the purported behavior of a few individuals.

These passengers were initially en route from New York to Frankfurt, with plans to board a connecting flight to Budapest. Following a consent order, Lufthansa has agreed to pay $2 million. The DOT will offset the remaining $2 million with the compensation already paid by Lufthansa to the passengers involved.

While Lufthansa has agreed to the settlement, it has not admitted to any violations under the consent order. The airline has denied any discriminatory practices by its employees. It has asserted that as many as 60 passengers onboard at any given time were not following crew instructions.

Despite its denial of violations, Lufthansa has expressed regret and public apologies for the decision to deny boarding. The USDOT’s consent order mentions that the airline cites a series of inaccurate communications, misinterpretations, and misjudgments during the decision-making process as the cause of the incident.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Lufthansa revealed that it has been fully cooperating with the DOT since the incident. The airline is also partnering with the American Jewish Committee to develop a unique training program in the airline industry. This program aims to educate their managers and employees on addressing antisemitism and discrimination.

The USDOT has declared this penalty as the largest it has ever imposed on an airline for civil rights violations. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg commented on the issue, stating, “No one should face discrimination when they travel. 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.”

This incident serves as an important reminder to all airlines and businesses about the significance of respecting and protecting all passengers’ civil rights.