Plaintiff had filed a lawsuit against American Airlines over a Dec. 29, 2006 flight diverted from Dallas-Fort Worth to Austin because of weather issues. After landing, passengers sat in the plane for 9.5 hours, unable to leave despite overflowing toilets and little food or water.US District Judge Robert T. Dawson said airlines are not legally bound to provide a “stress-free environment” when a delay occurs, even if passengers are stuck in an aircraft on the tarmac for more than nine hours.Judge Dawson pointed out that plaintiff and other passengers were given opportunities to get off the plane. The judge acknowledged that she felt she had to stay on the plane because she said she was told by airline personnel she would be “on her own” if she got off the plane, but that did not mean she was imprisoned.The decision is reviving the discussion on a need for federal legislation.Source: Travel Weekly; find article here>>.
