Germany’s national airline, Lufthansa, faces backlash and a record-breaking $4 million fine from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) after allegedly barring 128 Jewish passengers from boarding a flight from Frankfurt to Budapest. The USDOT condemned the incident as a civil rights violation, issuing the largest penalty in its history against an airline for discrimination.
The incident, which occurred on May 3, 2022, involved Jewish passengers traveling from New York City to Budapest with a layover in Frankfurt. Many of the travelers wore traditional clothing associated with Orthodox Jewish men, a factor witnesses believe may have contributed to Lufthansa’s actions. After landing in Frankfurt, the passengers were blocked from boarding their connecting flight due to what Lufthansa described as “disruptive behavior” by some travelers on the New York-Frankfurt leg. However, accounts from several passengers reported no noticeable issues, with no specific individuals or behaviors identified by the airline. Instead, Lufthansa flagged the itineraries of over 120 passengers in what the DOT has called a troubling case of collective punishment based on religious identity.
Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism, sharply criticized the airline’s actions, describing them as “classic antisemitism.” Lipstadt expressed outrage at both the apparent discrimination and the disturbing irony of a German airline denying boarding to Jewish passengers. “When I first heard it, I thought it must be a mistake. But then it turned out to be precisely right — and worse than we thought,” Lipstadt remarked.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that discrimination based on race, religion, or ethnicity would not be tolerated. “No one should face discrimination when they travel,” Buttigieg stated. “Today’s action sends a clear message to the airline industry: we are prepared to investigate and take action whenever passengers’ civil rights are violated.”
The DOT’s investigation found that Lufthansa crew members did not single out any specific individuals for alleged misconduct but instead implemented a high-priority comment flag on the itineraries of 123 Jewish passengers. Reports indicated that Lufthansa allegedly claimed that the affected passengers were non-compliant with airline rules, including the mask policy. Yet no evidence was presented to support that all or even most of the passengers acted disruptively, with many passengers reporting they didn’t even know each other or travel together.
In response to the fine and public backlash, Lufthansa asserted it does not tolerate discrimination of any form. “Lufthansa and our entire passenger airline group have maintained a strong and productive relationship with the global Jewish community, particularly in the United States,” the airline said in a statement. The airline added that it is a popular choice for Orthodox Jewish travelers within Europe and to Israel.
The substantial fine follows the DOT’s recent measures to enforce stricter protections for travelers, which have also addressed other issues like lengthy tarmac delays and passenger refunds. Buttigieg affirmed that the department’s intensified enforcement aims to ensure airlines uphold travelers’ rights, noting, “We will continue to hold airlines accountable to ensure they serve passengers with the fairness and dignity they deserve.”
For the Orthodox Jewish community and advocates of religious equality, the DOT’s penalty against Lufthansa is seen as a landmark moment in civil rights enforcement. The airline has not yet clarified whether it will appeal the DOT’s decision, but the case underscores a broader push for accountability in airline treatment of passengers, ensuring that racial or religious bias has no place in modern travel.
