You never come out inflight for any pax issue. The rule being it could be a distraction for a bigger plot so that’s always a no no.
Our policy is to issue the yellow card and continue to your destination. So as long is pax isn’t physical or verbally threatening.
My GUT feeling is these situations are escalating because a pax refuses the mask in flight at some point, and a FA tries to force compliance. Tell them once politely. They decline, tell them politely again, this time, letting them know they can get a yellow card and not be allowed to travel again on this airline. Pax refuses again, give them a yellow card, and then be on your way. Leave them alone. I have a hard time believing people just throwing the first punch unless there was an escalation.
Not a real airline, but at an online virtual airline, I actually had to put a hammer down on a FA. I told him in clear terms the other 3 FAs said he was out of line, and given his story and the 3 FA story, I’m inclined to believing them. And that he needs to work on his deescalation. And to never file a report on his own first without debriefing with the CA first (required per their virtual airline FA manual). He called out sick the next day. Oh well. Bet you he’ll think twice next time before escalating matters.
If only more CAs were like this. We lost it when CAs briefed for decades that “we have your back, you want X off the plane, say the word and they are off!” Nope. Not me. My backing is with you in accordance with the FOM, our policies, and the law. You step outside those bounds, you’re on your own.
Last rant, at a non-real airline, call it a virtual airline, if you are a FA and had a situation with a pax and you requested law enforcement to meet the plane, debrief with the CA! And be ready to talk to the police officer discreetly, after the flight and everyone is gone. DO NOT ditch your crew and head out to the van alone and sit down because you don’t want to deal the mess you know you created and hyped (as it turns out). Guess whose story I’m going to believe?