Germany's Lufthansa refused to carry 128 Jewish passengers and was accused of discrimination. The U.S. Department of Transportation issued the highest fine

On October 15, local time, Lufthansa, Germany’s largest airline, was fined by the U.S. Department of Transportation for discriminating against Jewish passengers. The amount reached a record high of US$4 million (approximately RMB 28 million). According to comprehensive US media reports, the US Department of Transportation stated on the 15th that in May 2022, 128 passengers traveling from New York City to Budapest to participate in the annual Orthodox rabbi commemoration event were prohibited from boarding a connecting flight in Frankfurt, Germany.

The passengers, who were wearing "distinctive attire typically worn by Orthodox Jewish men," were denied boarding en masse because "a small number of individuals were suspected of inappropriate behavior," according to documents provided by the Department of Transportation.

The U.S. Department of Transportation said gate agents at the Frankfurt gate called out the names of passengers who were allowed to board the plane, leaving 128 passengers waiting at the gate, who watched the plane depart in "confusion and confusion." Most of the 128 passengers were wearing the attire commonly worn by Orthodox Jews, such as black hats, trousers and jackets. They told the Department for Transport that although many were unknown to each other, they were treated as a group "because they were openly and obviously Jewish".

The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was the largest penalty it has ever imposed on an airline for "violating passenger rights." "No one should be discriminated against while traveling, and today's action sends a clear message to the airline industry that whenever a passenger's civil rights are violated, we will investigate and take action," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

Reuters reported that Lufthansa did not admit any of the violations mentioned above and denied that any of its employees discriminated against passengers, but the company has agreed to pay a $4 million fine.

On the 15th, Lufthansa said in a statement that it has been fully cooperating with the U.S. Department of Transportation since the 2022 incident and continues to focus on multiple efforts, including working with the American Jewish Committee to plan "the airline industry's first training program for managers and employees to address anti-Semitism and discrimination."