### U.S. Department of Transportation Fines Lufthansa $4 Million for Discrimination Against Jewish Passengers

The U.S. Department of Transportation has levied a hefty $4 million fine against Lufthansa, citing discriminatory actions taken by the airline against Jewish passengers during an incident in 2022. This action stems from a flight where 131 Jewish passengers traveled from New York's JFK Airport to Frankfurt, en route to Budapest for a memorial event honoring an Orthodox rabbi.

The controversy began on the initial flight when some passengers failed to adhere to the mask mandate, causing issues for the crew. However, rather than addressing the non-compliant individuals directly, the Lufthansa captain notified a security duty manager, leading to a problematic decision. A "high priority comment" was placed on the itineraries of all passengers connecting to Budapest, who were predominantly Jewish. Consequently, these passengers were denied boarding on their connecting flight without differentiating between those who had and hadn't caused trouble.

At the connecting gate, the lack of detailed notes about the specific misbehaving passengers led to an indiscriminate decision to deny boarding to all 131 Jewish passengers. This blanket action triggered a chaotic scene involving the police. A Lufthansa employee even conceded that everyone was penalized due to the actions of a few.

The U.S. Department of Transportation found that Lufthansa's handling of the situation constituted discrimination based on religion. The airline failed to take constructive steps to single out the specific individuals who had violated the rules, instead opting for an across-the-board punishment that unfairly targeted innocent passengers. The DOT highlighted that more precise identification methods should have been employed to mitigate this discriminatory outcome.

In light of the backlash and punitive measures, Lufthansa's CEO issued a personal apology, and the airline compensated each affected passenger with $21,000. This sum included $20,000 as a settlement and an additional $1,000 to cover expenses incurred from the denied boarding. Despite this compensation, the DOT's fine underscores the serious nature of the infraction, bringing the total financial repercussion for Lufthansa to well over $6 million.

This significant fine and the accompanying critique from the DOT are expected to serve as a stern warning for the airline industry, emphasizing the importance of addressing individual misconduct without resorting to discriminatory practices.