Thursday, July 09, 2009

United Breaks Guitars.



Goddamn.

A musician traveled with his guitar and United Airlines busted it. Bad. When he requested they fix it, they requested he fuck off.

He wrote this song, released it on Monday and today it's a YouTube hit. United is paying attention, if still not paying for his guitar.

Let's hope for a happy ending to this. If you're a guitar player you know how much your instrument means to you. It's more than just wood and wire, a good guitar has heart. I know my old Martin does. I'd be near homicidal if I saw tarmac jockeys tossing it around like a sackful of dirty laundry.

So fuck United. I'll think twice before I book a flight with this airline again.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It consider it a national tragedy when a major airline emerges from bankruptcy. They should all just die and let the smaller airlines take over. Cheaper fares, better service, more comfortable rides.

Down side? No first class. Oh, well. Tell me again why that's worth $1500? I flew it once. Thankfully on the company's dime. Otherwise, I'd have told Delta "No, thanks, I'll take Greyhound."

Yes, I hate the big airlines. I've always managed to get abused by them every time.

JD Rhoades said...

There used to be an old saying about taking on newspapers: "never piss off people who buy ink by the barrel." Today, the saying might be: "never piss off anyone with access to a video camera and a YouTube connection, which is to say, just about everybody."

I also love that people are recording and posting their frustrating interactions with phone companies and ISPs.

Viva la Revolucion de la Internet!

Tom said...

Dave, it seems United is going to make restitution.

Meanwhile, this is a good example of why you leave the Taylor or the Martin or the Ramirez at home, and travel with the Subway Guitars proletarian copy - unless you buy another ticket for the instrument, like some orchestral players I know.

David Terrenoire said...

You're right, Tom. After traveling a bit with the old girl, and experiencing a sphincter tuck the whole trip, I bought a little Seagull parlor that worked just fine, and if it had fallen off the ferry I would have only wept a little.

But it's the working musicians, the guys who don't make a lot of money but still have to travel with a decent instrument who get fucked.

I'm glad United was shamed into doing the right thing.