This is appalling conduct. Not only was he he extremely disrespectful to an old lady but aggressive with it. I wonder if he would have dared to do this if this had belonged to a man. Your Mother should have gone and got a crew member and told them. She should not have engaged with him nor touched her things. Actually a dab of a hanky round the eyes would not have gone amiss. I am surprised that the crew did not hear all this kerfuffle and come and see what was kicking off. Were that my Mother - who unlike her daughters - was a lady to her fingertips would have had none of it. She lived through the Blitz so no jumped up little nobody would have cut any ice with her - but had I been there the fur would really have flown. I have said in similar confrontations in Sainsbury's car park in Esher/
"Do you think that she went through 36 hours of labour to bring me into the world to end up being shouted at by the likes of you" that usually stem the flow.

I can only tell you what I would do, and lament the nastiness to which you poor Mum, who appeared to be minding her own business.had to submit. Horrible man. I just pray that he picks on the right person before too long. I wonder if he is a Flyertalker rather than the Australian who was a true gentleman.