‘United Airlines Breaks Guitars’ song proves a hit

A little-known Canadian country and western singer has become a YouTube sensation after he wrote a song accusing United Airlines of damaging his $3,000 guitar.

David Carroll's song, simply entitled United Breaks Guitars, chronicles his year-long battle to win compensation from the airline, after his Taylor acoustic guitar was broken by baggage handlers at Chicago's O'Hare airport last year. Since being posted on YouTube in early July it has been seen by four million people.

The video of Carroll's folk-rock band, Sons of Maxwell, features baggage handlers flinging instruments around an airport. "I should have flown with someone else, or gone by car," Carroll sings, "because United breaks guitars." 

Posted on YouTube in early July, within a week the video had been seen by two million people. Carroll became an instant cause celebre - appearing on TV and radio shows and mentioned by Oprah Winfrey and CNN.

By July 10, United - who had initially dismissed Carroll's requests for compensation - caved in and offered to pay the cost of repairing his guitar as well as flight vouchers worth $1,200. Carroll, however, told the airline to donate the money to charity. "They definitely want this to go away," he said.

Carroll now plans to write two more songs about United, including one about his dealing with a customer service agent named Ms Irlweg.

However he say he is no longer angry. "They've given me a creative outlet that has brought people together from around the world," he writes. "Thanks United! If my guitar had to be smashed due to extreme negligence, I'm glad it was you that did it." ·