Q. Is it true?! I understand there's some new law protecting passengers that are stranded on the runway.

A. There is. As of last month, passengers stranded on the runway for three hours or more are entitled to drinking water, air conditioning, clean lavatories, and other basic rights. The downside? Protection is currently limited to New York state airports. That may not seem like much of a win, but hey, it's a start.

And when departing from Europe,  you're much better protected under EU Passenger Rights, which provide monetary compensation (up to $900!) for excessively delayed flights. Yes, even to Americans.

Listen to our full story on American vs European Union Passenger Rights here on NPR.