Lufthansa is once again in the spotlight due to an incident in 2022. 128 passengers on a flight from New York to Frankfurt were denied onward travel to Budapest. The reason: some of them are said to have violated the mask requirement that was in force at the time.
The incident might have remained a side note if the US Department of Transportation had not determined that all of the passengers involved were Jewish and that they had been discriminated against. The consequence: A record fine of four million US dollars was imposed on Lufthansa. This is the highest fine ever imposed by the US Department of Transportation for a civil rights violation.
background of the incident
In May 2022, an incident occurred on a Lufthansa flight from New York to Frankfurt that has now had far-reaching consequences for the German airline. A group of passengers who wanted to travel on to Budapest were excluded from their connecting flight. The reason given by Lufthansa: Some passengers had not complied with the FFP2 mask requirement that was in force in Germany and many other countries at the time.
What makes the case explosive, however, is the fact that the passengers excluded by Lufthansa were all of the Jewish faith. The group consisted of Orthodox Jews, some of whom were clearly recognizable by their traditional clothing - such as hats and sidelocks. However, according to the US Department of Transportation, the group did not fully know each other, and there was no uniform violation of the mask requirement by all travelers. Nevertheless, Lufthansa decided to deny all 128 passengers onward flight to Budapest.
criticism and investigation
Lufthansa's decision sparked outrage, especially in the USA, where the issue of discrimination is treated with particular sensitivity. More than 40 of the passengers affected then filed a complaint with the US Department of Transportation. The US Department of Transportation took the case seriously and launched an investigation. The results of the investigation were clear: not a single passenger could be specifically identified who had actually disobeyed the cabin crew's instructions. In addition, the affected travelers included some who had no connection whatsoever to the allegedly maskless passengers.
The US Department of Transportation described Lufthansa's actions as discriminatory and spoke of a clear violation of the civil rights of travelers. Transportation Minister Pete Buttigieg made a clear statement on the matter: "No one should be discriminated against when they travel." The decision to deny all Jewish passengers onward flights, even though the violation of the mask requirement was limited to only a few, was a clear case of unequal treatment based on external characteristics and religious affiliation.
The consequences for Lufthansa
The decision by the US Department of Transportation resulted in the imposition of a record fine of four million US dollars (about 3,67 million euros). Lufthansa was obliged to pay this sum. The airline had previously voluntarily paid compensation of two million dollars, which will now be credited. This means that Lufthansa still has to pay another two million dollars.
The case not only represents a financial burden for Lufthansa, but also causes considerable damage to its image. Allegations of discrimination - especially with regard to religion and ethnicity - are viewed particularly critically in today's society, and the case has caused a stir internationally. The airline has not yet commented comprehensively on the incident. There was also no initial response to *ntv.de's* request. However, as early as 2022, Lufthansa had publicly expressed regret about the incident and announced measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The impact on the aviation industry
The case not only has direct consequences for Lufthansa, but also sends a clear message to the entire aviation industry. The US Department of Transportation stressed that civil rights must also apply without restriction in the aviation industry. This decision could lead to airlines worldwide having to rethink and, if necessary, adapt their policies and procedures for dealing with passengers in order to avoid discrimination.
Airlines are already under great pressure to improve their service while complying with strict safety guidelines. However, the Lufthansa case shows that these measures must always be in line with the civil rights of passengers. The aviation industry will certainly be closely monitoring how this case develops and what consequences it could have for international air travel.
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