If they were hostages, they the flight crew and the airline should be put on trial for criminal charges. Being hostage is a serious crime. Since there is no law on the books that makes this illegal they weren't hostages... If they wanted to get off the damn plane, open the freakin' door, set off the emergency slides and jump down. Oh wait, you might go to jail for that... why? Because that is illegal.... hostages... I doubt more than 50% of the people absolutely HAD to be on that plane. Sure the experience sucked, deal with it.