It seems to happen more frequently as airline schedules and people get tighter. A recent incident on an Australian flight involved a woman screaming and hitting other passengers with a Bible. How should a senior traveler respond to such incidents?

First, try to keep calm. If the disruptive person is close to you, especially if you’re elderly, don’t attempt physical restraint nor argument. That may make the situation worse. Carefully get up from your seat and move to safety. When help arrives, describe what happened, and stay safe while trained attendants cope with the disruption.