Alaska GOPer asks to be excused from showing up for her job due to airline ban for 'mask tyranny' meltdown: report

According to a report from the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska State Sen. Lora Reinbold (R) has asked to be excused from returning to the state capital of Juneau to do her job legislating and voting on bills because she is still banned by the state's major airline for creating multiple scenes over wearing a mask when she flew.

In April, NBC reported that the Republican lawmaker from Eagle River was told by Alaskan Airlines she is persona non grata by the airline after complaining about "mask tyranny" and battling with airline employees when she attempted to travel.

That report states, "Reinbold has been a vocal opponent to Covid-19 mitigation measures and has repeatedly objected to Alaska Airlines' mask policy... Last year, she referred to Alaska Airlines staff as 'mask bullies' after being asked by flight attendants to wear a mask aboard a flight, the newspaper reported. After the incident, she reportedly sent a cake to some flight attendants bearing the inscription: 'I'm sorry if I offended you'."

At that time airline spokesperson Tim Thompson explained, "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," adding the ban was effective immediately.

On Friday, the ADM reported that Reinbold made her latest request to be excused on Thursday morning, she asked to be excused from votes in the Capitol starting Sept. 11 extending out "to Jan. 15, three days before the start of the next regular session."

Explaining her reasoning she blamed the airline for making her life difficult with the ban while complaining, "... there's no airline that flies into Juneau other than Alaska Airlines that I'm aware of."

According to the lawmaker, she is unwilling to make the trip by land and by sea in a what was previously described as an "arduous 14-plus-hour car ride, including a jaunt through Canada, to reach a ferry to the capital."

Asked about the ban, she texted, "I believe what Alaska Airlines has done by my political ban, restricting my movement from the state capital as a senator, is unconstitutional," before adding, "Driving through Canada is a long haul and complicated and restrictive process."

The report does note that Delta Airlines flies into Juneau, but they shut down service to the capital city every September.