The German airline Lufthansa issued an apology after more than 100 Jewish passengers were barred from boarding a flight to Budapest, but the apology was criticized for not mentioning the passengers’ Jewish identity or antisemitism.
The airline’s statement, published on May 10, stated: “While Lufthansa is still reviewing the facts and circumstances of that day, we regret that the large group was denied boarding rather than limiting it to non-compliant guests.” The passengers had been prevented from boarding the flight after one or two passengers had refused to wear a mask on the preceding flight from New York. “We apologize to all the passengers unable to travel on this flight, not only for the inconveniences, but also for the offense caused and personal impact.” Lufthansa added that the airline has “zero tolerance for racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination of any type.”
Lufthansa regrets the circumstances surrounding the decision to exclude passengers from flight LH 1334 on May 4. Lufthansa sincerely apologizes. Please find our statement below: pic.twitter.com/yGXoD62QY1
— Lufthansa (@lufthansa) May 10, 2022
As the Journal previously reported, a video circulating on social media showed an apparent representative from the airline telling a Jewish passenger who was questioning her as to why they couldn’t board the flight that “one” passenger didn’t wear a mask on the flight, so “everyone has to pay for a couple.” When pressed by the passenger, the representative said that it was “Jewish people … who made the problems.”
Jewish groups criticized the apology.
“This non-apology fails to admit fault or identify the banned passengers as Jews,” the Anti-Defamation League tweeted. “It also refers to them as a group, even though many were strangers. They had one commonality—being visibly Jewish.”
This non-apology fails to admit fault or identify the banned passengers as Jews. It also refers to them as a group, even though many were strangers. They had one commonality—being visibly Jewish. https://t.co/UBOkwY6iYG
— ADL (@ADL) May 10, 2022
The American Jewish Committee also tweeted, “Lufthansa’s ‘apology’ makes no mention of the fact that it was Jews specifically who were denied boarding the plane. @Lufthansa, you say you have ‘zero tolerance’ for antisemitism. Confronting your staff’s discrimination will be a first step in living up to that claim.”
Lufthansa's "apology" makes no mention of the fact that it was Jews specifically who were denied boarding the plane.@Lufthansa, you say you have "zero tolerance" for antisemitism.
Confronting your staff's discrimination will be a first step in living up to that claim. https://t.co/7LSkFAmiaB
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) May 10, 2022
The Simon Wiesenthal Center tweeted that Lufthansa’s apology was “not good enough” because there has been “no accountability for @Lufthansa representatives who created this fiasco.” “What steps is Lufthansa taking to train their employees to ensure such insulting behavior toward religious Jews won’t be repeated?” the Wiesenthal Center asked.
Not good enough. No accountability for @Lufthansa representatives who created this fiasco. What steps is Lufthansa taking to train their employees to ensure such insulting behavior toward religious Jews won’t be repeated? #Antisemitism #Lufthansabansjewshttps://t.co/62heK6nAka
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) May 10, 2022
StandWithUs CEO and Co-Founder Roz Rothstein similarly tweeted that Lufthansa needs to “do better” and “run sensitivity training for all staff.”
Be careful Lufthansa- do better. Run sensitivity training for all staff. https://t.co/zx6zJNxNU6
— Roz Rothstein (@RozRothstein) May 10, 2022
Stop Antisemitism tweeted that Lufthansa “discriminated against Jews like [their] Nazi founder, Kurt Weigelt, did 80 years ago.” They called for the airline to terminate every employee “involved [in the incident]and issue an apology where you actually address the group you humiliated and discriminated against because this ‘apology’ is pathetic at best!”
You discriminated against Jews like your Nazi founder, Kurt Weigelt, did 80 years ago.
Fire ALL of the @lufthansa employees involved and issue an apology where you actually address the group you humiliated and discriminated against because this "apology" is pathetic at best! https://t.co/qqPZoxGfgq
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) May 10, 2022
Human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky, who heads the International Legal Forum, tweeted that the apology was “weak” because the airline “couldn’t even mention the passengers were Jews. Also missing is what steps will [be] taken against the Lufthansa employee/s involved.”
Sorry but pretty weak 'apology' from @lufthansa. They couldn't even mention the passengers were Jews. Also missing is what steps will taken against the Lufthansa employee/s involved. https://t.co/TTcpmEdIJI
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) May 10, 2022
Former New York Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind tweeted that the Jewish passengers barred from the flight will be filing a lawsuit against Lufthansa.
BREAKING: Jewish Victims of @lufthansa's Antisemitic Discrimination to Sue German Airline
Thankfully, @MarkGoldfeder & @ACLJ have agreed to represent victims probono and are already representing several.
Lawsuit to be filed in Europe.
Victims can DM Mark or me with info. https://t.co/EQ76MUNe8z
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) May 11, 2022
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.