I hunted, but couldn’t find the text of New York’s Passenger Bill of Rights, signed into law on Thursday by Gov. Eliot Spitzer. In short, the law, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2008, requires airlines to do take the following actions once a plane has left its gate and been delayed on the tarmac for three or more hours:

- Provide fresh drinking water and snacks for passengers

- Have fresh air and lights

- Empty holding tanks of waste so the toilets do not overflow

If airlines fail to comply with the rules, they could be fined up to $1,000 per passenger.

If I find the text of the law later today, I’ll update this posting with a link.