[rabscuttle385]

So, they spend the night in the terminal (heaven forbid the airline put them all up in hotel).

Maybe that's the real reason they kept the passengers in the plane.

They didn't want to put them up in a hotel.

[Hawk720]

This article has a little bit more information. Let the finger-pointing begin.

And if I was on the plane, I would have called 911.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=68496535.blog

[nuconvert]

“They didn’t want to put them up in a hotel.”

That was my first thought. But on weather related delays, the airline isn’t responsible & doesn’t have to compensate.
They should have taken them in a bus to the the terminal and let them decide if they wanted to spend the night there or get their own hotel room.
Not kidnap them for the night.