Washington, D.C. - Following several incidents at airports where passengers were forced to remain on planes for as long as 11 hours, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) today introduced the "Airline Passenger Bill of Rights Act of 2007," legislation to ensure that travelers can no longer be unnecessarily trapped on airplanes for excessive periods of time or deprived of food, water or adequate restrooms.

Boxer said, "I am pleased to introduce a Passengers' Bill of Rights today to protect the safety and well-being of travelers. Occasional delays may be unavoidable, but no one should be held hostage on an airplane for hours without food, safe drinking water or functioning restrooms. This bill ensures passengers the right to deplane after being in a closed aircraft for three hours, and it requires airlines to attend to the basic needs of passengers."

"Millions of Americans depend on the airline industry for safe travel throughout the country and the world each year," Snowe said. "Every passenger understands that delays and cancellations might happen from time to time due to weather and other extraordinary circumstances. During those frustrating delays, however, the airlines have a responsibility to treat passengers with dignity and give them the right to de-plane an aircraft and prevent the type of misery that too many passengers have recently experienced."

The legislation requires airlines to offer passengers the option of safely leaving a plane they have boarded once that plane has sat on the ground three hours after the plane door has closed. This option would be provided every three hours that the plane continues to sit on the ground.

The legislation also requires airlines to provide passengers with necessary services such as food, potable water and adequate restroom facilities while a plane is delayed on the ground.

The legislation provides two exceptions to the three-hour option. The pilot may decide to not allow passengers to deplane if he or she reasonably believes their safety or security would be at risk due to extreme weather or other emergencies. Alternately, if the pilot reasonably determines that the flight will depart within 30 minutes after the three hour period, he or she can delay the deplaning option for an additional 30 minutes.