GERMANY - Lufthansa Fined for Jewish Discrimination
The German airline Lufthansa has agreed to pay a record $4 million penalty for allegedly discriminating against Jewish passengers, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced.
The charges stem from an incident in May 2022 in which 131 passengers planned to fly from New York City to Budapest, Hungary—with a connection in Frankfurt, Germany—for an annual memorial event for an Orthodox rabbi. Most wore the distinctive black hats and jackets typically favored by Orthodox Jewish men, the DOT says.
“Despite the 131 passengers having a common destination, most of the passengers did not know each other and did not book their flights as a single group,” according to the department's consent order.
Video from the incident, reported at the time by NBC News, shows Lufthansa staff telling passengers that “everyone has to pay” for the mistakes of a few. The staff said “everyone” meant “Jewish coming from JFK,” referring to the New York City airport.
The DOT received over 40 discrimination complaints from Jewish passengers after the incident, prompting its Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) to open an investigation.
The DOT investigation concluded that Lufthansa had discriminated against the passengers on the basis of religion and subjected them to “unreasonable” discrimination.
“Through our ongoing collaboration, we have curated a first-of-its kind training program in the airline industry for our managers and employees to address antisemitism and discrimination,” it said in a statement. “Lufthansa is dedicated to being an ambassador of goodwill, tolerance, diversity, and acceptance.”
-www.npr.org, 15 October 2024
Arno's Commentary
Lufthansa quickly agreed, because this segregation of Jews opens horrible wounds in German history: the Holocaust, where 6 million Jews were murdered.
Because the Jews have their own state, they’re now standing up for their rights as never before. One wonders why the fine was only $4 million, yet the article states: “record $4 million penalty.” Also significant is that over 40 complaints by Jews were lodged.
Here the words apply: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).
Arno Froese is the executive director of Midnight Call Ministries and editor-in-chief of the acclaimed prophetic magazines Midnight Call and News From Israel. He has authored a number of well-received books, and has sponsored many prophecy conferences in the U.S., Canada, and Israel. His extensive travels have contributed to his keen insight into Bible prophecy, as he sees it from an international perspective.
