The Department of Transportation has made rules that require airlines to let passengers off of an airplane that hasn't gone anywhere for three hours, but practical application of those rules may be difficult. Passenger rights groups support the rules, but given the choice of arriving late or not arriving at all, most passengers say they would rather arrive late, American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith told Statesman.com. Three hours at the gate is one thing, but after three hours on a taxiway an aircraft can either be accessed by mobile stairs or it can go back to the gate where some or all passengers could exit. Regardless, if the aircraft is in the queue, it would lose its place and further delay passengers willing to continue with the flight, plus add cascading delays for passengers waiting for that jet, elsewhere. But... .
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/news/new-flight-delay-deplaning-rules-complicated-by-reality