The short sword would be superior to the cavalry saber since there might not be room to draw the longer sword. It might even be superior to the 45 ACP since no one will want to get close enough to grab you while you hold the swort sword edge outwards. They might shoot you, but that would happen anyway with the 45 ACP. So the short sword is the way to go.
OTOH, your own reach is much more limited. You'd have a hard time stopping Abu Abdul from breaking into the cockpit when you are at the front of coach class. With the .45, you could do that, even I could do that, and I'm not that great a shot. Remember Abu doesn't care if you eventually kill him, you have to stop him cold. It's what the .45 ACP cartridge was designed to do, that is stop Muslim fanatics.