Seclusion

Being in seclusion with a na Mahram female in a lift

Q:

  1. When I was in an elevator/lift in Makkah together with a Saudi man, 2 women in full hijab and niqab entered the lift.The Saudi man got upset and chased them out. I used to often be alone in the lift with women and used to be unsure what to do. Is it  permissible to be alone with a woman in an elevator or what should I do in such case?
  2. If my seat on the plane is next to a Ghair Mahram woman, is it ok to sit next to them?