United Breaks Guitars

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United Breaks Guitars is a song by the Canadian musician David Carroll and his band Sons of Maxwell . He describes how he saw his guitar destroyed during a flight with United Airlines . The chorus of the song is I should have flown with someone else, or gone by car, because United breaks guitars (I should have flown with another airline or drove a car because United breaks guitars) . The video for the song was released on YouTube on July 6, 2009.

In the news

CNN covered the story and how the video became a hit almost overnight. For Public Relations of United Airlines, this was a disaster. Carroll explained how he tried unsuccessfully for almost a year to get the damage reimbursed by the airline. CBS also reported and interviewed Carroll and other passengers on the flight who also witnessed his $ 3,500 guitar being thrown in the air by baggage handlers. Fox News also reported on it and asked Carroll why he hadn't brought the expensive guitar as hand luggage. Carroll replied that it was always difficult to carry instruments, not least because the flight attendants usually showed very little interest when it came to taking musical instruments into the cabin. At least he was lucky that he had two guitars in his luggage, so that his planned appearance in Omaha was not endangered.

United Airlines Response

Following the reports in the media, United Airlines contacted Carroll. United Airlines announced that it would like to use the video as material for training its own employees in the future, in order to achieve a better corporate culture in this area and an improvement in service. Carroll declined an offer of compensation after the success of the video, saying it no longer makes a difference. United Airlines should donate the money to a charity of their choice. The Times reported that $ 3,000 was donated to the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz .

Videos, YouTube

As a result of the achieved by the television reports awareness of the history that has access number of the songs on YouTube increased to more than 19 million (as of April 24, 2019). Taylor Guitars , the maker of the damaged guitar, also posted a reply to the story on YouTube, which helped Carroll receive thousands of responses and a wave of public support.

Carroll, both a member of the group Sons of Maxwell and a solo artist, had announced three songs and a video. The second part deals with further experiences he has made with United Airlines' customer service and the airline's initial reactions. In the third and final part, a large number of comparable incidents are pointed out and United Airline is asked to change. In the third song, David Carroll also addresses the importance of events for him and his career as a musician.

Tom König deals with the incident in the book I'm a customer, gets me out of here .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Broken Guitar - the full story
  2. ↑ CBS News
  3. Jump up ↑ A Singer's Revenge on United Airlines: A Hit United Press International July 9, 2009.
  4. ^ Video statement by Dave Carroll
  5. ↑ Chris Ayers: Revenge is best served cold - on YouTube . In: The Times , July 22, 2009. 
  6. ↑ United Breaks Guitars - YouTube Video
  7. ^ Statement from Taylor Guitars
  8. ↑ United Breaks Guitars - Part 2
  9. ↑ United Breaks Guitars - Part 3
  10. ↑ ISBN 978-3-46204-452-2

Web links