Lufthansa hit with record $4 million penalty after blocking 128 Jewish passengers from boarding

“Based on the alleged misconduct of some passengers, Lufthansa staff treated them all as if they were a single group and denied them boarding,” the Department of Transportation said.

According to reports, some individuals in the 128 passengers violated the flight’s mask policy as COVID-19 had struck. In several footage from the day, Lufthansa staff are heard telling passengers that “everyone has to pay” for the mistakes of a few, then defining “everyone” as “Jewish coming from JFK.”

The penalty of $4 million by the Department of Transportation is reported to be the highest ever against any airlines for a civil rights violation.

The US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in a statement said, “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.”

The carrier had apologized over the incident at the time stating that Lufthansa airlines had zero tolerance for anti-semitism, racism and discrimination of any kind. In a recent statement, the airline said that it cooperated with the department of transportation in the investigation.