She was then supposed to be guided to her connecting flight to Florida.
The 18-year-old was born blind and this was her third time flying by herself, so she thought she was familiar with some of the routines.
"I was instructed by the flight attendant to wait until everybody else got off the plane," said Cabot, 18, in an interview with CBC News from Jacksonville.
"That's what they tell me every time so I didn't think anything of it.".
She said she heard the other passengers leave and then the unmistakable sound of the aircraft door being sealed shut.
She had no idea how to open the plane's door or whether that would be a safe thing to do.
Her family complained about the incident to United Airlines, which gave Cabot a $250 voucher for future travel. »