Chicago Tribune: "'United Breaks Guitars' spawns complaint site"
By Gregory Karp
A Canadian songwriter who became famous for slamming United Airlines in a cleverYouTube music video that went viral, has helped start an online complaint website this week.Dave Carroll, 43, of Nova Scotia, wrote and sung the humorous protest video “United Breaks Guitars” in 2009, after United’s baggage handlers at Chicago O’Hare International Airport broke his $3,500 Taylor acoustic guitar, and the airline wouldn’t pay for it. The YouTube video, produced for $150 with friends as actors, has had 11.5 million views since it was posted July 6, 2009. It earned Carroll numerous mentions in the media, including CNN, CBS’ “The Early Show” and Oprah….continue reading on chicagotribune.com
2:37 p.m. CST, February 3, 2012
Dave Carroll
Dave Carroll
I recently flew US Air thru’ Philly to Europe. What a bucket of bolts. No toilet paper, food was so foul I couldn’t eat it (it tasted rancid), no light to read by. Philly airport is the worst. Bullying, loud mouthed, mean people who work there…makes me certain that I will never go thru’ there again.
I like BA & KLM for overseas flights & Alaska for domestic.
I salute you! Great songs and videos and I believe your cause is just. However, a question lingers in my mind. Why in the world did you put valuable guitars in luggage, instead of carrying them onboard and putting them in the overhead?
Seems like you could have avoided the whole thing. But then you would not have become famous. 🙂
I have had bad experiences on every major airlines, except one.
I now fly southwest. Great folks.
Love your United Airlines song! Great that you are hitting those providing poor service where it hurts, but also love your humorous music. When are you visiting the UK?
Well done Chicago Tribune for your input in this account. It seems to me that the only thing “United” about united airlines is they are United in 1) Passing the buck.
2)Not open to “any” criticism
3) complete disregard for customers who have paid to use their ailine.
I am not a negative person but I wouldn’t shed a tear if they went belly up. There is far to much of this “Wish I could help you” syndrome. I think United must have overlooked among other things that it is a competitive business. The president or CEO should be symbolically “Tarred & Feathered”
As Frank Sinatra once sang “Come Fly with me” I dont think so thank you.
Again well done Chicago Tribune in stepping up to the plate. Regards Phil Cose
Brisbane, Australia.