but, as I understand, in most cases it is worked out with no scene at all.
I don’t buy it. And I don’t think it’s always self-proclaimed activists. And it doesn’t change the point that you can’t get on a plane and expect that your religious beliefs should be accommodated through possibly inconveniencing others. It’s a ridiculous premise. If your religion REQUIRES you to sit in a seat that is not next to a woman, than you need to worry about making that happen, not getting on a plane before take off expecting people to make changes for you. Pay for preferential seating, pay for an extra seat, pay for first class, pay for really bad after shave that will make the passenger move on her own. If you believe it is required by your religion, than it is YOUR job to take care of it BEFORE it involves others.