NEW YORK -- A federal appeals panel has given a rough ride to arguments supporting the first law in the nation requiring airlines to provide food, water, clean toilets and fresh air to passengers trapped in a plane delayed on the ground.

All three judges expressed skepticism Wednesday about the law, passed after a series of delays last winter left some Kennedy Airport passengers stranded on planes for more than 10 hours with no food or water and overflowing toilets.

The court did not immediately rule.

Judge Brian M. Cogan said the law might lead to patchwork solutions by states nationwide that would subject airlines to all kinds of requirements.

The law was challenged before the appeals court by the Air Transport Association of America, the industry trade group representing leading U.S. airlines.