The US Department of Transportation has hit Germany flag carrier Lufthansa with a record $4 million fine.
The DOT says the airline discriminated against 128 Jewish passengers traveling from New York City to Hungary in 2022.
The agency said Lufthansa prevented the passengers from making a connecting flight in Germany to Budapest.
The DOT said it is the largest civil rights penalty ever imposed.
The agency opened an investigation after it received dozens of complaints.
The passengers were prevented from catching their connecting flight at Frankfurt due to the behavior of a small number of passengers in the group.
They were collectively penalized for the bad actions of a few, the agency said.
This constituted religious discrimination, it said.
The problem related to not wearing masks on the flight and not following crew instructions.
“The denial of transport in Frankfurt was a continuation of a pattern of discriminatory behavior that began on a flight from the United States,” the DOT 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,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg added.
