Congress May Revisit Airlines Bill

WASHINGTON — Attention, passengers, this is your Congress speaking: The latest round of flight cancellations just may prompt passage of an air travelers' bill of rights that has been delayed for two years.

The bill, first offered in February 2006, was designed to deal with air travel nightmares such as passengers stuck for many hours in planes on the tarmac, often with little or no food or water. It bogged down in Congress due to an unrelated funding dispute over the Federal Aviation Administration.

Lawmakers predicted yesterday that the cancellation of 2,400 American Airlines flights in recent days will give the bill new life.

The bill would require airlines to let passengers leave a plane after it has sat on the runway for three hours.

It also establishes minimum standards for food, water, and toilet facilities for passengers in planes stuck on the ground for long periods.