United Breaks Guitars - Share Your Airline Gripes

**HVAC Instructor** · 09-04-2009, 08:20 AM

Hey mods...How about a travel forum, and maybe a consumer advocate forum? Didn't know where else to put this so I put it here. Great story about how the internet can help improve customer service at some of the most surly big businesses like the airlines. Here's the short version of the story:

United Breaks Guitars

Submitted by dave on Tue, 07/07/2009 - 01:21.

United Airlines Song Background (short version)

In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didn’t deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say “no” to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world. United: Song 1 is the first of those songs. United: Song 2 has been written and video production is underway. United: Song 3 is coming. I promise.

Video created by Curve Productions Inc. of Halifax, NS

The whole story here: United Breaks Guitars | Dave Carroll Music

We flew United to Sydney just this summer and had luggage delay problems, flights overbooked, and little sympathy from the gate agents. They made it right fairly quick once we got back and emailed customer service, and I bet this video exposing their attitude helped in some indirect way.

Some airlines are great, like the experience we just had on Southwest this week. First time flying with them, and will definately fly them again.

**HVAC Instructor** · 09-04-2009, 10:39 AM

I guess United still refuses to pay for the guys guitar....I had thought they settled this. Guess not. The saga continues:

**Martin** · 09-04-2009, 10:48 AM

actually, united offered to pay for the damage. based on principle and publicity, the guy decided to refuse united's belated offer and make the other two videos anyway.

-M

**kmf563** · 09-04-2009, 11:12 AM

yeah, i agree with the guy. I too would turn down their offer. Funny how they didn't offer anything until after a video and song actually came out. They didn't expect him to follow through with it and didn't think he was big enough of an artist to make a difference. ha! They had a year's worth of litigations in which they refused to pay.

In response, this video is spreading like wild fire through the music community and artists are refusing to fly United.

**HVAC Instructor** · 09-04-2009, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by mmm

actually, united offered to pay for the damage. based on principle and publicity, the guy decided to refuse united's belated offer and make the other two videos anyway.

-M

Do you have a link to that story with the details of United's offer?