A landmark ruling has been issued against Lufthansa, Germany's largest airline. The US Department of Transportation has imposed a record $4 million fine for the company's discriminatory treatment of Jewish passengers.
Lufthansa has been held accountable for a blatant act of discrimination. The DOT said in a consent order that the airline was fined for refusing to allow 128 Jewish passengers, wearing traditional attire, onto a flight in May 2022.
Record-Breaking Fine For Lufthansa Over Discrimination
The Jewish group was left stranded at Frankfurt Airport after being denied boarding from New York due to the actions of a handful of individuals. It is worth noting that the passengers were neither travelling together nor did they know each other.
In a press release, the airline said the incident "resulted from an unfortunate series of inaccurate communications, misinterpretations, and misjudgments throughout the decision-making process." The airline said these actions "although regrettable, do not support any finding of discrimination and the department's findings in this case."
The report details that 60 passengers on board repeatedly disregarded safety and public announcements from flight attendants and the flight deck, including refusing to wear masks, obstructing flight attendants in economy class from their on-board food and beverage service, inconveniencing other passengers, and arguing with the crew.
The DOT announced on Tuesday that the penalty imposed is the largest ever issued by the federal agency for civil rights violations.
"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," said US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in the release.
In a comment to CNN, Lufthansa said that after the "incident involving our Jewish passengers, Lufthansa has fully cooperated with the DOT throughout its review process." The airline revealed that it is working with Jewish groups, like the American Jewish Committee, to develop training programs for its employees to prevent antisemitism and discrimination.
"Lufthansa is dedicated to being an ambassador of goodwill, tolerance, diversity, and acceptance," an airline statement said.
This incident is similar to a 2016 case involving Aeromexico, when an American-Sikh actor, Waris Ahluwalia, was denied boarding due to his refusal to remove his turban. This prompted a public apology and a directive to staff regarding the religious significance of the Sikh turban.
A Silver Lining For Lufthansa
Amidst the ongoing scandal, Lufthansa Group has garnered international praise for its mobile app. On October 13, the airline was awarded "Best Airline App 2024" worldwide.
After being nominated by customers, the Lufthansa Group app advanced to the final round of the "Battle of the Airline Apps." A jury of experts assessed the four finalists and determined that the Lufthansa Group app was superior to the apps from Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Air India, Germany's flag carrier revealed in a blog post.
"The Lufthansa Group App puts our customers at the centre and provides them with user-friendly services, transparent information and support throughout their journey," says Dieter Vranckx, Member of the Executive Board Lufthansa Group, Global Markets & Commercial Airlines Hubs.
"I am proud of the entire team for the great progress we have made in recent years. The award for the Lufthansa Group app encourages us to continue developing our digital services for Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS and Brussels Airlines," Vranckx added.
Oliver Schmitt, Head of Digital Customer Solutions and Managing Director Digital Hangar GmbH, says: "The digital travel experience of our guests is increasingly determined by their mobile devices."
"The app is playing a growing role as a travel companion. In recent years, we have worked specifically on service offerings, especially in the event of irregularities, on simplifications and better information for our guests, and created numerous benefits for frequent flyers."
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