Someone witnessed United Airlines baggage 'handlers' playing catch with musician Dave Carroll's $3,500 Taylor guitar at O'Hare International Airport. When he landed in Nebraska for the start of a week-long tour, Carroll discovered that the guitar's neck was broken. Unbeknownst to him, that was the beginning of a year-long futile effort to get compensation for the $1,200 repair.
Frustrated, he wrote the song United Breaks Guitars and posted the video on YouTube. As they say in the trade, it has gone viral.
Here is the story and a recap from the Dallas Morning News.
The quick recap, for those who have missed the story, is that Carroll and his group, Sons of Maxwell, were traveling from Halifax to Omaha, NE, through Chicago last year. Someone saw United baggage handlers throwing the band's guitar cases around. When he retrieved his guitar, he found $1,200 in damage to the guitar's base, damage that a "Ms. Irlweg" with United declined to pay.
Seems like United is a little more receptive to Carroll's plight these days.But at least he's getting some satisfaction, not to mention exposure for his band.
Here is Carroll's response to it all.
Next time, Carroll might be wise to buy a heavy-duty case, or use FedEx.
A week-long concert tour in Nebraska? Hey, the big time!
"They don't realize that while you're sitting here talking, someone is fucking you. Changing a fare, changing a flight, moving something. There's no autopilot, and that's why I've seen a lot of guys come and go." -- Gordon Bethune, CEO Continental Airlines, regards his peers at other airlines, Fortune magazine 18 October 2004
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