In a landmark decision, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined Lufthansa $4 million for what it deemed discriminatory actions against Jewish passengers. The incident occurred in May 2022, when 128 Orthodox Jewish passengers were barred from boarding a connecting flight in Frankfurt.
Lufthansa cited noncompliance with mask mandates by a few individuals on the previous flight as the reason for the ban. However, instead of addressing the specific passengers involved, the airline implemented a blanket ban on all visibly Jewish passengers, sparking outrage and accusations of antisemitism.
Following a thorough investigation, the DOT determined that Lufthansa's actions violated federal anti-discrimination laws. This penalty marks the largest fine ever imposed for such violations in the aviation industry.
Lufthansa has since apologized publicly and announced plans to implement anti-bias training for its employees, aiming to prevent such incidents in the future.
This case underscores the importance of holding corporations accountable for discriminatory practices and serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance against antisemitism in the travel industry.
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