Actually, being late is disrespectful.
If another person gives their time to be with you, then you should respect that and them by arriving on time.
You may not mean to be late but it can still be disrespectful if an explanation is not given. There may be external causes of lateness, this can be acceptable by both parties and is often unavoidable. Sometimes something with more priority occurs after you have agreed to a meeting time, in which case, you should explain to the other person at the earliest opportunity.
There are also people who are regularly late because it makes them feel important. It seems they feel that having people waiting for them, gives them a superior position. Generally, try to recognize and avoid having meetings with such people!
Respect is about relationships with other people. Disrespect is not considering the other person, their feelings, their work, their time. Being late because it is part of your ‘personality’ is just a lame excuse.
