United, Lufthansa Settle Disability Case

UAL Corp.’s United Airlines and its alliance partner Lufthansa will pay a combined $4,000 in civil penalties to settle a case in which a disabled passenger was prevented from boarding a flight, the government said Wednesday.

The Transportation Department order marks the first time a U.S. carrier has been found in violation of laws protecting the disabled because of the actions of a foreign partner.

The settlement stems from a June 17, 1997, incident in which a passenger traveling on a United ticket was denied boarding on a Lufthansa flight operating under a United reservation code.

Chicago-based United will pay a $3,000 civil penalty and Germany’s Lufthansa will pay $1,000. Neither airline admitted wrongdoing, and both agreed not to engage in such activities in the future.