United Breaks Guitars

This is funny, sad, and infuriating all at the same time. I saw this video. It’s about a guy, Dave Carroll. He’s a country singer. In 2008, he booked with United Airlines to fly from Nova Scotia to Nebraska, along with his $3,500 Taylor guitar. While laying over in Chicago, he happened to glance out the window and saw the airport baggage handlers throwing guitars. They broke his Taylor!!

OMG I would be freaking!! But then again, I would never have a guitar that cost as much as my car or my yearly property taxes… but poor Dave. He contacted United Airlines and was thrust into the bureaucratic technicalities that so many of us are familiar with (I am, at least). They denied his claim. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
:rippaper:

At that moment it occurred to me that I had been fighting a losing battle all this time and that fighting over this at all was a waste of time. The system is designed to frustrate affected customers into giving up their claims and United is very good at it.

However I realized then that as a songwriter and traveling musician I wasn’t without options. In my final reply to Ms. Irlweg I told her that I would be writing three songs about United Airlines and my experience in the whole matter. I would then make videos for these songs and share them on YouTube, inviting viewers to vote on their favourite United song. My goal: to get one million hits in one year.

It’s a good thing Dave is a country singer- he can lament his woes in song. And that’s just what he did. When he realized he wasn’t getting anywhere with United Airlines, he wrote a song and made a video. It’s become a big hit.

Oh, and NOW United Airlines has said Dave’s video “struck a chord” with them and they want to make it right.