The rest of the story is not equally visible as to who said what to whom
True, but it would be interesting to get more of these details. A flight crew diverting an aircraft because a senior citizen complains to the airline about treatment from the cabin crew raises some serious questions. I'm all for safety first, but safety first does not equal egos first.
This story, as it was written in the media, would suggest this is more a case of ego first rather than safety first. But then again, the media are not exactly know for their thorough reporting of aviation related stories.