You can disagree, but search these forums and you will find that my statement is true. Plenty of 1st hand accounts by FTers who have a)had flights held for them or b) been on flights held for others. Lack of personal 1st hand experience doesn't make it untrue. I've never gotten a royal flush, but they exist (and odds of a flight being held for customers is far greater than a natural royal flush.)
Of course, as in most things, actions create reactions. Va plane held impacts not just the passengers and crew on that flight, but it may make an inbound waiting for the gate during a bank wait longer, causing as many problems on another flight as it solves on the original, it may delay a tight turn of the aircraft on the other end, and many more smaller, but significant issues. So it isn't the norm, but it's far from unheard of.