On a recent flight, after boarding, I saw an elderly woman in my seat. I checked my boarding pass, and said she was in error. She refused to move.

When I told the flight attendant, he said the woman, who waved her cane at me, was handicapped and could not be moved. Angry as hell, I was sent to a seat in the rear. During the flight I saw the “handicapped” woman easily strolling the aisle several times. What should I have done? Jack R., Lafayette IN

A: Not much. You can later file a complaint with the airline, and maybe get a free future flight. Fake handicap pre-boarding, seat grabs and phony companion dog scams are all too frequent. The best way to react is not to lose your temper and just firmly state the facts to the airline. In flight, always cooperate with flight attendants, who must deal with these offenders daily.