Romney handled this right. The perp in front of his wife was not placing the seat upright for take off. Therefore, that fellow was in the wrong from the beginning.
Romney was also correct in avoiding physical involvement. No matter how emotional the situation, restraint is the best policy unless you (or your wife) are seriously endangered. Mature men can exercise restraint. Hot-heads cannot.
As for the jerk in the story, I fear that the Canadians will go soft with him, as they usually do. He should at the least be banned from flying for about ten years. If he is a non-Canadian, they could ban him from visiting Canada. Canada has a practice of banning undesirables, and they do not even have to state a reason. If you are on their bad list, you don’t get in.
Very true.
By the way, why shouldn’t one fly coach class on that plane? It is a modest-size aircraft, not crowded, and very pleasant. I have flown that one quite often, and much prefer it to the monster planes with nine passengers across.