The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined German airline Lufthansa $4 million due to a violation of civil rights affecting a group of Jewish passengers on May 4, 2022.

The DOT reported that Lufthansa barred 128 Jewish individuals, primarily recognizable by their traditional Orthodox attire, from boarding a connecting flight from Frankfurt to Budapest, after arriving from New York.

This incident reportedly took place because some individuals did not wear masks during the initial flight, despite the airline’s ongoing mask mandate. Notably, many of the affected passengers were strangers and not traveling together.

“We apologize for the situation where a large group was denied boarding instead of just the individuals who violated the mask rule,” the airline stated on social media a few days after the occurrence.

In December 2022, Lufthansa settled with the passengers who were impacted.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg commented on the fine in a statement on Tuesday, asserting that the airline remains accountable for its transgressions.

“Discrimination during travel is unacceptable, and this action reinforces our commitment to investigate and rectify any civil rights abuses by airlines,” he remarked. “From addressing lengthy tarmac waits to ensuring appropriate passenger refunds, our department has enhanced enforcement to hold airlines responsible for their treatment of passengers and will persist in urging the industry to treat travelers with the respect they deserve.”

In its response to the fine, Lufthansa emphasized its full cooperation with the DOT during the inquiry and shared its ongoing partnership with the American Jewish Committee. This collaboration aims to refine its antidiscrimination measures.

“Through our established partnership, we’ve developed a pioneering training initiative in the airline sector for our managers and staff focusing on antisemitism and discrimination,” they stated. “As the first airline to implement the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, Lufthansa is dedicated to maintaining a constructive dialogue with Jewish communities and organizations worldwide.”

The DOT did not specify the intended use of the funds from the fine.