Alaska State Senator Banned From Airline For Refusing to Wear a Mask

 

Alaska State Senator Lora Reinbold (R) has been banned from Alaska Airlines for repeatedly refusing to wear a mask.

The ban comes after a video of Reinbold arguing with Alaska Airlines staff at the Juneau Airport was posted on social media.

A spokesman for the airline told the Anchorage Daily News that they contacted the lawmaker and told her that she was no longer allowed to fly with them.

“We have notified Senator Lora Reinbold that she is not permitted to fly with us for her continued refusal to comply with employee instruction regarding the current mask policy,” Alaska Airlines spokesman Tim Thompson told the paper.

“This suspension is effective immediately, pending further review. Federal law requires all guests to wear a mask over their nose and mouth at all times during travel, including throughout the flight, during boarding and deplaning, and while traveling through an airport,” Thompson added.

Reinbold responded to the news by blasting the airline’s decision to go public about the ban without speaking to her first.

“Until there is a fair determination, after thorough review of both sides, I believe this should be confidential. I learned about Ak Air decision before I knew there was even an inquiry and before I had a chance to talk to or discuss this with anyone at Alaska Air,” Reinbold wrote. “I never received a warning via a yellow card per their policy either. There was no due process before a temporary decision that is “under review” was made public. Alaska Airlines sent information, including my name, to the media without my knowledge nor permission. I do believe constitutional rights are at risk under corporate covid policies.”

The senator also explained that she was simply inquiring about mask exemptions in the video that was posted online.

“I was reasonable with all Alaska Airlines employees. I have been flying on Alaska Air for decades and am an MVP gold. I inquired about mask exemption with uptight employees at the counter,” Reinbold wrote on Facebook post on Saturday. “I was respectful of Alaska Airlines policies. We had a pleasant safe flight with happy flight attendants and great talented pilots. I hope to be on an Alaska Airlines flight in the near future.”

This ban may present an extreme challenge for Reinbold, as no other airline has regularly scheduled flights between Anchorage and Juneau. In a Facebook post about it, she wrote that “the monopoly in air transport to Juneau needs [to be] reviewed.”