The answer came to me when I remembered I had packed a small bottle of lavender essential oil in my carry-on. I use lavender oil for relaxing and calming purposes, but it also has a rather strong scent. My plan was simple: I would occasionally open the bottle and wave it near the woman’s feet, allowing the strong aroma to permeate the air around her. My hope was that the fragrance would be bothersome enough to make her reconsider her seating arrangement without causing too much distress.
