Having been in middle management with a top international firm, I have dealt with many issues with staff over the years. If you're in charge/the boss you get respect and obedience from managing your staff not bossing them. If there is an issue, you pull that person aside and deal with it or schedule an appointment with HR if it merits it. You do not start a row in front of other staff or suddenly call an event off, just because you feel that your authority has been questioned, you get through the event and deal with it after.
Absolutely non sequitur.
Here's a small list of activities where the boss is the boss and any lawful order must be carried out quickly and without question:
1. Military
2. Ship at sea
3. Aircraft in service
4. Film or video production shoot
Now there's nothing wrong with questioning an order, either to the boss or up the chain of command
after you carry it out, but in all cases, questions at the time of the order
will put you in a world of hurt.
There are plainly two issues here. Was the purser insubordinate? Did the captain abuse his authority by diverting and ejecting her? I don't know the answers.