Bebe Rexha Alleges Mental Abuse by Lufthansa Staff in Munich

American singer and songwriter Bebe Rexha has accused a Lufthansa staff member of mentally abusing her in what she has described as a "hate crime." The incident reportedly took place at Munich Airport (MUC) as Rexha was attempting to board a flight, sparking a series of social media posts from the artist detailing her experience.

Rexha, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, but has Albanian roots, claimed that a male Lufthansa employee tried to prevent her from boarding the plane after she spoke to him in Albanian. The singer believed the staff member was Albanian and approached him in her native language to inquire about her ticket. Rexha, 34, took to Instagram to share her side of the story, stating, "I have been threatened because I thought the security agent was Albanian. I spoke to him in Albanian asking where to get my ticket and now he is banning me from the flight."

She further alleged that the staff member’s actions were motivated by discrimination, emphasizing that she was subjected to mental abuse and was made to feel powerless. In another Instagram story, Rexha wrote, "I believe this to be a hate crime because I am Albanian. He continued to mentally abuse me to make me feel that he was more powerful than he was. Not one of the women at Lufthansa stepped in or said something."

In response to the allegations, a Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed that the airline had reached out to Rexha and was in direct contact with her to better understand the situation. The spokesperson reiterated the airline's commitment to diversity and equal opportunity, stating, "We do not tolerate any discriminatory behavior of any kind."

The incident involving Rexha has brought attention to broader issues of discrimination in the airline industry. While discrimination on airlines is more commonly reported in the United States, with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) noting a rise in such complaints in 2023, incidents like these underline the importance of vigilance against discriminatory practices worldwide.