Unalaska, AK – Adak is finally receiving mail, after a week without it.

The trouble started last week, when the Transportation Security Administration prohibited Alaska Airlines from carrying priority and parcel packages greater than 16 oz. on board passenger planes. While many Alaskan communities were able to reroute packages on other airlines, Adak was left without postal service since Alaska Airlines is the island's only carrier.

But after Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich negotiated with TSA on behalf of Adak on Thursday, mail started coming through the island again on Friday.

TSA would not confirm that mail was flowing to Adak, citing security reasons.

"We work closely with our security partners to ensure a high level of security while maintaining the flow of commerce," commented spokesperson Nico Melendez via e-mail.

But Adak City Manager Layton Lockett did say that mail was definitely on its way. He added that the waiver was a relief, since the lack of mail service had put the community in a vulnerable position and without vital goods.

"You're talking about everything -- from blankets to medicine to general household goods," says Lockett.

Sen. Murkowski says that she's also pleased by this resolution, and that she doesn't expect other Alaskan communities to be affected by similar service blocks in the future. She says that informing Washington of the unique challenges faced by many rural Alaskan communities is a frequent exercise.

"When you don't have communities that are connected by roads, you have no other alternative. You are different. You are unique," says Murkowski. "It is an ongoing, constant education effort."

Since Unalaska is served by PenAir, no mail delays were experienced by the community.