In a Facebook post, Alaska State Sen. Reinbold said Alaska Airlines is impeding her ability to get to the capital.
Reinbold claimed Alaska Airlines preventing her from flying is a "political ban."
Because of the ban, Reinbold's commute from Eagle River to Juneau may take up to two days.
10 Things in Politics: The latest in politics & the economy Loading Something is loading. Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Following her ban from Alaska Airlines for refusing to wear a mask, Republican state Sen. Lora Reinbold submitted a procedural request asking to be excused from votes for the remainder of the state legislature's regular session since she is unable to fly to Juneau, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
The excusal will run from September 11 through January 15, three days before the legislature's next regular session begins, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
"If the only airline that has flights during session to Juneau can unconstitutionally impede a legislator's ability to get to the capital in a safe and timely fashion, it could undermine our representative republic," Reinboldt said in a Facebook post on September 9.
Responding to a constituent who commented that she should have worn a mask, she claimed, "I wore a mask in TSA, waiting area, and in plane. An activist had me banned. Not a single warning on flight never a yellow card. Its a political ban!"
The ban came after a video was posted to Twitter in April showing Reinbold arguing with staff in Juneau International Airport over mask rules.
A normal round trip with Alaska Airlines from Juneau to Eagle River, the city Reinbold represents, takes around 90 minutes. Now, her commute will take up to two days as Juneau is the only US state capital inaccessible by road — only by plane or boat.
Delta Airlines is the only other large carrier that flies into Juneau and its seasonal service to the capital ends in September, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
grannygritz on September 11st, 2021 at 14:03 UTC »
She can reach the capital to vote. She did it before. She just doesn't want to now for "victim points."
"A normal round trip with Alaska Airlines from Juneau to Eagle River, the city Reinbold represents, takes around 90 minutes. Now, her commute will take up to two days as Juneau is the only US state capital inaccessible by road — only by plane or boat."
Edit: Sorry, that would be "capitol" with an "o".
deanzamo on September 11st, 2021 at 13:41 UTC »
So when flying, you're OK with wearing the seatbelt and staying seated when told, putting seats and tray tables upright on takeoff and landing, following the luggage rules, not smoking, putting your phone in airplane mode when told, being searched and prevented from bringing guns, knives, bottles of liquids, etc into the boarding area, all for public safety. But if told to wear a mask for public safety, you go ballistic and claim your rights are violated.
DrProfessional77 on September 11st, 2021 at 12:51 UTC »
Oh no! The consequences of her own actions!