Peace on Earth, Not Necessarily Aboard Aircraft

But according to sources within the airline's flight attendants union, the matter is far from resolved; two of the attendants are considering filing assault charges against Osteen.

Joel Osteen, who in recent years rose to prominence as the "smiling preacher," thanks in large part to his best-selling, inspirational book, "Your Best Life Now," which has sold 3.5 million copies. The book is a collection of stories aimed at changing readers' attitudes, to attain a successful life.

On the Lakewood Web site, Victoria wrote a letter to members calling the incident a "minor misunderstanding" and saying that it was her choice to deplane. "It was a most unfortunate event and I truly regret that it happened," she wrote.

Although the incident was reported to the FBI, the agency said it was not investigating because the altercation was not deemed a security threat, said FBI special agent Luz Garcia.

Houston-based cargo ship operator Jim McGregor, who was on the Osteens' flight, said he was outraged that the airline delayed the flight over the incident. McGregor was unhappy that the aircraft had to remain on the tarmac until the Osteens and their bags were removed from the flight. "This was really inconsiderate to the rest of the passengers," he said.

Continental wasn't the only airline to act without consideration for certain passengers. Deborah Childs-Bowen watched as a Delta gate agent boarded her Dec. 7 Delta Air Lines flight 1279 from Philadelphia to Atlanta and asked her elderly father, Ishmael Childs, 90, to give up his seat so a disabled passenger and her special assistance dog could sit together.

Childs, a retired civil rights attorney, uses a wheelchair to board his flights, and his daughter arranges for him to sit in the more roomy bulkhead section of the aircraft so his legs don't cramp. Childs took his assigned seat and his daughter took her seat a few rows behind him. Childs-Bowen then saw a gate agent escort her father from his seat to another seat further back that had less leg room.

"What is the ranking of disability? I made arrangements ahead of time for a wheelchair and so that my father could sit in the bulkhead. This person should have made special arrangements ahead of time as well," said Childs-Bowen, a top-level member of Delta's frequent-flier program.

Childs himself said he was surprised he was asked to move. "I thought they were going to move me to first class, which would have been more comfortable, but instead they moved me further in the back. For a Saint Bernard," he said.

Delta spokeswoman Gina Laughlin said passengers with service animals are often seated together in the bulkhead to provide a little extra room. But she said Childs did not have to move if he did not wish. "If a passenger is already booked in those seats, a flight attendant will ask the passenger, would they mind switching? But the passenger does not have to move," she said.

But as any frequent flier knows, rebuffing a flight attendant, even over a simple request, could get the passenger ejected from the flight or worse -- fined or thrown in jail if it's seen as an FAA violation.