Originally Posted by
BenSenise
If this ever happens to me I am going to call 911 (or the equialent where I am) and tell them that I am being held hostage, which technically is true; I'm not being allowed to leave.
It may not be the airline that is holding the passengers. If there was an alleged security issue as mentioned in the link, it could be the authority that asked the airline to keep the passengers there.
But the link also does not say that anyone who asked to get off hasn't been allowed to get off, so I suppose it does not necessarily mean that they are being held against their will.