United Airlines review by Celeste 2015-11-03

10/23/15. We (myself, my 78 yr. old Mother, 82 yr. old Father) boarded our flight that had been delayed to Houston--understandable due to air traffic control, but we arrived in enough time to board our next flight. We could not deplane due to a mechanical issue on the jet bridge that caused us to have a 7-10 minute delay. Totally a United fault but to add insult to injury, before we could deplane the flight attendant announced that United was holding the flight to Orlando, FL. (which boarded 5 minutes AFTER our plane). I asked the flight attendant if they were holding the plane to Sacramento. She said no. I asked why and she indicated there were 26 people going to Orlando. We ran as fast as we could to our gate only to find out that they just shut the door. The United airport person was so rude to us that she made my 78 yr. old Mother cry. So why the discrimination--is it because my parents were seniors? We were only 3 people and why hold a plane for only 3 people? Is there a number that United uses to calculate when you are treated differently? Perhaps the Orlando people get special treatment because they were going to Disney and Disney gets preference? EDITORS COMMENT: It's because you were only three people and the cost of staying at the gate waiting for you would have been more than the cost to re route you or make you wait for the next flight.