An Alaska State senator, who has been banned from Alaska Airlines for violating masking policies, says she asked to be excused from the legislative business because the ban prevents her from being able to be present to vote.
Earlier this year, the airline announced that state Sen. Lora Reinbold (R) of Eagle River, Alaska, would not be allowed to fly the airline after refusing to comply with various masking guidelines. times. Federal COVID-19 protocols require people with certain modes of transportation, including airplanes, to wear masks.
“We have notified Senator Lora Reinbold that she is not allowed to fly with us because of her continued refusal to comply with employees’ instructions on the current mask policy, ”the airline said in a statement in April.
“This suspension will take effect immediately pending further review. Federal law requires all guests to wear a mask on their nose and mouth at all times during the trip, including the entire flight, during the boarding and disembarking and while traveling through an airport, “the airline said it continued.
Reinbold said he had been “reasonable” with the airline’s employees and said he had “asked about the exemption of masks with strict employees at the counter.” He added that he had been respectful of the airline’s policies.
However, Reinbold filed a petition Thursday asking him to be excused from legislative business because, due to the airline’s ban, he could not travel to the capital, Anchorage Daily News reported.
Only one other airline, Delta Air Lines, flies to Juneau. However, the service ends in September, as it is seasonal.
As a result, he asked to be excused between Sept. 11 and Jan. 15.
“People from Alaska, I was in Juneau for a long extended session from January to May and part of June. I’m in Juneau now, as the third (hitherto unproductive) non-special session comes to a close on Tuesday. I apologized because Delta’s last flight is on September 11, ”Reinbold wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.
“Sen Steadman and Von Imhoff have apologized for longer. Being excused does NOT mean you are not here, it means that the legislative process cannot be inhibited if you are not there, “he continued.
According to The Associated Press, people can only access Juneau by water or air. The cable service noted that the state Senate had approved his request.
“Perhaps it is time to move the legislature to the road system. If the only airline, which has flights during the Juneau session, can unconstitutionally prevent lawmakers from reaching the capital safely and in a timely manner, it could undermine our representative republic, ”he said in his Facebook post.
When asked for comments, an Alaska Airlines spokesman told The Hill in a statement that Reinbold had been informed of the ban on April 24. He also referred The Hill to the airline’s previous April statement.
The Hill has contacted Reinbold to comment.
Updated at 3:57 p.m.