I'm not always one for more regulation and I'm not a big fan of the FAA being able to unilaterally change rules in situations like this as if it were some kind of law making body itself. Too much power has been delegated to unelected executive branch agencies...

Having said that, I would encourage anyone who is planning on travelling this holiday season to review the rules related to delays and cancellations. The airlines are going to get away with what they can as cheap as possible, it is on you the consumer to know the laws in regards to when they have to pay you for delays, when they have to comp you, and when they may even be required to pay for your to stay in a local hotel until the next morning.

There's even different rules for how long you're legally allowed to be sitting on the tarmac without before or after your flight, anything more than three hours and the airline is looking at compensation. The important thing is to know the law, but don't make a spectacle of yourself. Yelling and screaming isn't going to help anyone. Just calmly and quietly make your case to the gate agent or customer service representative for your flight. You may even pull up the law on your phone to show them if they push back.