United Breaks Guitars!

had to share this with everyone. its so funny! see youtube link below.

Great comeuppance to a big United Airlines

A musician named Dave Carroll recently had difficulty with United Airlines.

He spent over nine months trying to get United to pay for damages caused by baggage handlers to his custom Taylor guitar.

During his final exchange with the United Customer Relations Manager, he stated that he was left with no choice other than to create a music video for YouTube, exposing their lack of cooperation. The manager responded:

"Good luck with that one, Pal."

So, Dave posted a retaliatory video on YouTube. The video since has received over seven million hits. Here it is, for your pleasure.

United Airlines contacted the musician and attempted settlement in exchange for pulling the video. Naturally, Dave's response was: "Good luck with that one, Pal."

Taylor Guitars sent the musician two new custom guitars in appreciation for the product recognition from the video that has led to a sharp increase in orders.



http://www.youtube.com/embed/5YGc4zOqozo

Thanks Dave Carroll, you may have paved the way for us to carry our Ukuleles on as a carry on. Here are the new rules.

http://www.dot.gov/airconsumer/air-travel-musical-instruments

More info about the incident.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Breaks_Guitars

I did see the video and news about this incident, and good to see follow-up.

Larry D. said:

Thanks Dave Carroll, you may have paved the way for us to carry our Ukuleles on as a carry on. Here are the new rules.

http://www.dot.gov/airconsumer/air-travel-musical-instruments

Click to expand...

I have flown several times with my Collings tenor as a carry-on. I don't ask I just carry it on, never once had a problem. Just got back from Phoenix last week, while it was being scanned the security fellow asked " is that a ukulele" when I responded "sure is " a huge smile lit up his face !

He must be a player !

One of my favorite Tom Paxton songs:

Flying through the Michigan skies with a song in my innocent heart,
I placed myself in professional hands, masters of the traveler's art.
When I opened my guitar case at the end of a beautiful flight,
I'm sure you can imagine my feelings, as I beheld this beautiful sight…

Thank you, Republic Airlines, for breaking the neck on my guitar.
I arrived to do a concert with the Kingston Trio,
Opened my guitar case with a smile ‘con brio’.
Thank you, Republic Airlines, What a joy to a musician you are!
What a zest you've added to pedestrian skies,
It was boring to be flying where the wild goose flies,
But the tedium was broken by your wonderful surprise,
When you broke the neck on my guitar.

Thank you, Republic Airlines, for treating my instrument with care.
There can be no greater happiness for the musician,
Than to find his instrument in this condition.
Uh-oh, Republic Airlines, in the firmament of travel, you're a star,
For you treat each piece of baggage like a child of your own,
When you come across an instrument, it's dropped like a stone,
May you waken every morning with a new broken bone,
Like you broke the neck on my guitar.

Now I've been traveling most of my life, and the thrill is a long time gone.
And the sight of another DC 10 just fails to turn me on.
But I feel my heart start pounding when I get to the baggage claim,
and when I see how you handled my instrument, the thrill is still the same.

Thank you, Republic Airlines, for splintering the neck on my guitar!
My guitar case was so strong that nothing could go through it,
Way to go Republic, only you could do it,
Crash bang, Republic Airlines, in the field of demolition, you'll go far!
For you took it as a challenge when I turned in my case.
and you saw the fragile stickers glued all over the place,
May a team of mad flamenco dancers do to your face
What you did to the neck on my guitar!

There could no satisfaction greater than if,
You should be the next to go the way of Braniff!