Guitarist gets fitting revenge on United Airlines
Did you hear the one about the guitarist who was so appalled by the dismissive attitude of one of the world’s largest airlines that he wrote a song about it and posted it on YouTube? The result was that he became a hero to many, while U.A were humiliated into an apology.
No? Well watch the video here, you’ll laugh your socks off, which is more than can be said for U.A.
The video tells the story of Dave Carroll, a Canadian folk rock musician, who was travelling with his band from Halifax to Nebraska on said airline. While changing planes in Chicago they witnessed baggage handlers hurling their luggage about, including Mr Carroll’s guitar. When they got to Nebraska, the guitar was smashed.
United Airlines was hardly living up to its ”friendly skies” promotional image here. In fact Dave was witnessing the true cattle-truck reality of its services.
Anyway, Mr Carroll complained – but rather than getting any sort of apology or recompense for his broken guitar he met with a ’sorry can’t help you’ response. But Dave was determined to take it further and after a year of complaining and getting nowhere he felt the time had come to make a song and dance about it. So the YouTube video was created.
The video was an instant success getting 2.6 million hits. Dave and his band, Sons of Maxwell, found themselves on CBS News and even on The Oprah Winfrey Show. “It’s just incredible considering where my career was last week,” Carroll observed, noting that sales of his band’s other albums and hits on its website were both soaring. “It’s overwhelming,” he said.
Since all this exposure Dave has recieved $3,000 from U.A (which has been donated to charity) – almost three times as much as he originally asked for. He’s also been given two guitars by Taylor guitars.
So a good ending for Dave Carroll and hats of to him for persisting. Now I really must dust off that old banjo I’ve had lying around for years. The “Aerotoxic Anthem” is just waiting to be written.
This may be just what we need to get the airlines to listen…potential collaborators please form an orderly queue!
Tags: Dave Carroll, United Airlines
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