If the Rickmeister is expressing sarcasm about the usefulness of a cane as a defense tool onboard a plane, he's got a point. You can't do most of the Hapkido stuff there, no room. OTOH, it is a yard of hickory to keep between you and the towelhead, and it pokes pretty effectively.
I just have the thing because I need a cane, and it might as well be a one that will be more useful when I'm (G-d forbid I should ever have to use it to defend myself) in a place where I don't have a higher tech defense tool.