Ocean County Leader

Rep. Chris Smith, Co-Chair of the House Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, announced a $4 million fine imposed on Lufthansa for discriminating against Jewish passengers. The incident occurred in May 2022 when 128 Orthodox Jewish community members were denied boarding on a connecting flight in Germany due to the actions of some passengers. Many of those affected did not know each other and were traveling separately.

Smith expressed that this penalty "sends a strong message that discrimination and antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society and will not be tolerated." Following the incident, Smith communicated his "utter disgust" to Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr through a letter and requested a meeting to discuss concerns about the treatment of these travelers.

Lufthansa's CEO met with Smith and one of his constituents in Washington D.C., allowing them to hear directly from an affected individual. Subsequently, Lufthansa conducted an investigation, implemented policy changes, and engaged in negotiations with many impacted passengers.

Smith emphasized the importance of addressing rising antisemitism worldwide: “The rising tide of antisemitism worldwide cannot be overlooked,” he stated. He further added, “Silence is not an option—nor is inaction.”