How long did your total wasted ordeal last? As a 1P, I would be e-mailing, faxing and snail mailing a copy of that very post, letting UA know how one of their best and brightest carriers (sarcasm on FULL BLAST) Mesa ruined your day...as they do with so many others hourly.
Sorry about your ordeal. It sounds horrible. Not a great way to jump into the holiday, but unfortunately, par for the course with United regional partner 'Mess-Up' Airlines.