Air travelers call for bill of rights

FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A group of American Airlines passengers stuck on a tarmac in Texas for nearly 10 hours is pushing for a federal Passengers Bill of Rights.

The Fort Worth Star Telegram says the document would require airlines to return passengers to terminal gates after three hours on the tarmac and would impose penalties on airlines that lost luggage or bumped passengers.

The bill of rights was proposed by Kate Hanni of Napa, Calif., who was stuck with her husband on American Flight 1348 in Austin for nearly 10 hours Dec. 29, during a trip from San Francisco to Mobile, Ala.

She has recruited 13 other passengers to join the effort and written to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman, Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, with a draft proposal for the law, the newspaper said.