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United just can't win with Canadian singer
Canadian singer-songwriter Dave Carroll flew United again, and it just didn't work out. Carroll made the headlines when he released a YouTube video explaining his experience with United, which broke his guitar when he changed planes at Chicago's O'Hare airport.
In his first song, Carroll said he wouldn't rule out flying United again, specifically, "To save the world, I probably would ... but that won't likely happen." Well, he did fly United again, simply because he needed a direct flight from Nova Scotia to Denver, and United had the only one available. This time, United didn't break his guitar, but it did lose his luggage.
When he arrived at Denver International Airport, Carroll learned that his luggage was delayed, and the United employees on hand told him to wait for it. Meanwhile, an airport official told him to leave the baggage claim area. Eventually he yielded -- a smart move, since his luggage didn't arrive until Wednesday. And, yet again, United is in the position of having to investigate a problem associated with quite possibly the nicest wronged customer in the history of the travel business.
Following his original debacle with United, Carroll said he'd create three videos for YouTube. He's created two so far, in addition to a statement explaining the situation with United and urging people not to be so hard on Ms. Irlweg. All three have been viewed a total of nearly 7 million times.
United has promised to take steps to improve customer service, but this seems to be slow-moving, as evidenced by Carroll's recent situation. To make matters worse, the word from United's vice president of customer contact centers, Barbara Higgins, said in an interview with Christopher Elliott, "Our agents are empowered to escalate serious concerns that they hear from our guests. We have since provided them with a better way to do that to ensure we can be more responsive to special situations that arise, while also protecting us from the fraud that we see."
"Empowered to escalate" -- that doesn't strike me as terribly empowered.
The lack of movement on the issue seems clear in Carroll's Denver debacle. He had finished the lyrics for the third song before taking this trip. "They lyrics that I used sort of encompass what happened here this week so I might not have to rewrite it after all," he told CBC. That's a sad statement, when you think about it. He was writing about a problem that happened over a year ago, and recent events don't call for revision.
So much for progress ...
Ironically, Carroll was flying to Denver to give a speech at RightNow Technologies, a company that develops customer service software. Maybe United will schedule a demo soon.
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[Photo by cliff1066 via Flickr]
Filed under: North America, Canada, United States, Airlines, News
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
Brian Oct 30th 2009 6:47PM
"Just can't win" ??
Isn't that something you say after you've tried your best to please a person, and failed because of their negative attitude?
DAvid Oct 30th 2009 6:55PM
I just ship with ups stores, its well packed and insured, and can be tracked , no fuss and i dont have to trust the airlines to loose it
David Oct 30th 2009 6:56PM
I just ship with ups stores, its well packed and insured, and can be
tracked , no fuss and i dont have to trust the airlines to loose it
Angelo Oct 30th 2009 7:04PM
If ANYONE, ANYBODY,....so much as even SCRATCHED my gibson sg-180 im afraid i would lose it, i would just freak the "F" out! ! !
My entire life Ive never been able to afford to buy a gibson and the only reason i have 1 now is because i have a terminal illness and my nephew took pitty on me and gave me his sg-180....for $200.00 cause he lost interest in playing it.
steve326m Oct 30th 2009 9:04PM
The 1st & last time U flew with UAL, I flew from BOS to Chicago O'Hare, then on to Hong Kong then flew Cathay Pacific to The Philippines which I still reside. When I finally arrived in Manila, I got my 3 boxes containing practically everything I own. My 2 computers & DVD recorder were damaged and a TSA card was in each but all 3 cartons were still sealed with UAL's tape. I filed claims with both TSA & UAL. Each side blamed the other & I got nada. I repaired my 2 computers fairly easily thank God but my DVD recorder had a damaged microprocessor from improper handling. The new main board even at dealer price & shipping was more than the cost to replace it was worth. Mind you this happened because I feel they had to teach me a lesson about baggage charges and what cust service tells me for a price is invalid and the inflated price they say will be paid. I fought them and won. I guess they had to teach me not to argue with them. So instead of paying then $225 more, I lost a $450 recorder instead. They will win one way or another. In a way it's all our faults for we as a people let them get away with this crap from the get go so now, they're too big to fight.
God Bless....
Steve & Myrlita
Bacolod City, PH
Tommy Nov 1st 2009 9:54PM
Ahhhh the Airlines. I have had trouble with all the air lines now. Southwest was the last one I did not have an issue with until they charged me $50.00 for my suitcase to ship it home with me then busted it and now refusses to fix it. I wish there was another way to travel fast.
And Airlines stop charging for everything!!! I want a one ticket price for bags, drinks and a snack, that is still a value. I have a packed flight everytime I fly so just add on another $20.00 and give us back free checked bags and drinks.
Also do someting with Chicago's airport!!! It is delay city. Move some of the Hubs to St. Louis. They are more in mid-America with less snow.
allan pochop Oct 30th 2009 7:37PM
The Odds on all of this happening to him are out of this solar system. This is a set up scam. Been flying with United or 40 years and never have lost a bag. Then this singing clown, comes to town, and everything in the world happens to him???
Real or a money making venture???
Jack Miller Nov 9th 2009 9:24PM
UAL_Without doubt the most incompetent, unresponsive and stupid airline flying. The world's worst. The best thing for the "friendly skies" would be for UAL to re-enter bankruptcy and this time stay there. I'd prefer Bob's or Dave's airline to UAL.
emilekasper Oct 30th 2009 8:22PM
Musicians who really care for their instruments buy them a seat!
sk84dogs Oct 30th 2009 8:36PM
I bet if I say the word Jesus in my comment and say a few things about how he works in mysterious ways or somthing like that, a bunch of people will find a way to relate this story to religion. They are always the most annoying when leaving comments. Anyways not much you can do but be pissed at the airline. Its all in gods plan.
Kathryn Oct 30th 2009 8:48PM
United is the only airline that has ever lost our luggage and it has happened three times: first, for several days when we traveled to China and our luggage was never put on the plane at our home airport; second, when my husband recently few to Salt Lake City, and third, when our Romanian exchange student arrived to beging his year's stay. Oh, boy! Can't something be done with this airline?
richard Oct 30th 2009 9:38PM
WELL IT WAS ABARGAIN PRICE THAT STARTED WHEN HIGHLY INTOXICATED ALASKA NATIVE IN FIRST CLASS PUKED ALL OVER THE PASSENGER SEATING NEXT TO HIM I FIRSTED NOTICED HIM AT CHECK IN COUNTER THINKING I HOPE HE NOT ON MY FLIGHT THEN WHEN PASSING THE BAR AT ANCHORAGE AIRPORT THERE HE WAS SITTING ON FLOOR WITH HIS DRINK IN HAND APPARENTLY FELL OFF CHAIR I KNEW NO WAY WOULD AN AIRLINE ALLOW HIM TO BOARD BUT FATE WAS AGAINST ME BECAUSE IMMEDIATELY AFTER EMPTING A LOADED STOMACK OF BOOZE HE THEN START STATING HE HAVE CHEST PAIN WELL 911 WAS CALLED BUT MANY AIRPLANES IN AIRPORT THEY HAD DIFFICULTING LOCATING US.
AFTER PARAMEDICS ARRIVE HE STATE I LIKE TO GET A DRINK ON THE WAY TO HOSPITAL PLEASE FOR MY CHEST PAIN NOW THERE IS BIO-WASTE ON PLANE WHICH NOW SMELLS LIKE A BREWERY HAZARD WASTE ARE CALLED WHICH WAS ANOTHER DELAY AFTER 4 HOURS LATE WE LEAVE WITH MOST PASSENGER FAILED TO MEET THEIR CONNECTING FLIGHTS, WHICH RESULTED IN 48 FLIGHT TO BE HOME FOR SONS BIRTHDAY BUT ARRIVE DAY AFTER INSTEAD I WAS OFFERED FREE FLIGHT BY UNITED AIRLINES BUT I DECLINED BUT I DID WRITE THE COMPANY ABOUT BOARDING DRUNK CUSTOMERS AND I NEVER HEARD BACK UNITED IS A NO NO FOREVER
mike Oct 30th 2009 9:44PM
I can't believe UAL would let this guy ride on any flight! Ever hear of "we reserve the right to refuse service..." Well, maybe it was possible that UAL did lose his luggage on purpose,,,knowingly that it would make the news....any news is publicity however bad it is...Just look at that show that spotlighted Southworst Air...it was great publicity,,,and it mostly showed how sucked it is to fly on THAT airline.
mafioso Oct 30th 2009 9:47PM
i love united and it's all american unionized labor force.
it's the american way of life, love it or leave it.
you whiners all sound like gutless canadians to me,
reed wana Oct 30th 2009 10:40PM
UNITED AIRLINES SUCK. YES I SAID THEY REALLY SUCK!!!. I've flown for many many years and never had a problem with any airline except united, this past summer. The WORST employess on the ground to the very worst hostesses right up to the pilot. I was going to right a letter- but there not worth it. It's more rewarding saying how bad they were online and seeing to it that my family and I never fly with them again. There loss.
Mike Oct 30th 2009 11:10PM
United employee just do not care they are treated like they live in the third world are lied to by management take pay cuts and higher ups get pay hikes. No United employee's do not care about the public, management does not care about them. Do the flying public a favor shut down United its only a a matter of time anyway.
Marshall Oct 31st 2009 8:05AM
I am confused after reading this article. Did UA actually break the guy's guitar or not??
Alisa Oct 31st 2009 12:08AM
Yes, they did break his guitar. This article is about the second time they wronged this man.
j Lucus Oct 30th 2009 11:45PM
I flew for United for 40 years. One thing it didn't take me long to find out is that people love to lambast the airlines. At one time I thought it might be a status thing ( I've flown on an airplane)----but now that everyone flies, I've had to take another look at it. Yes, I've had my luggage lost, not only on UAL but other airlines as well. It's inconvenient but not the end of the world. What is unexcusable is rude employees. And I have experienced some rude employees at UAL as well as other airlines, grocery stores, banks, telephone companies, hotels, resturants, department stores ---well, you get the picture. I just feel I have to stick up for UAL because it's entire goal (besides making money) is safety and customer relations. It's a big company and there is bound to be a few rotten apples but that's the way it is in every aspect of our modern world. example: politicians, preachers, policemen, teachers, doctors, nurses, etc. Some people only fly once or twice a year and if something goes wrong, you never hear the end of it. People who fly constantly (100,000 milers and Premier Executives) have a much better idea of what constitutes a good airline. Definately, good employees make a good company. But everything doesn't always go 100%, especially in the airline business. And you are a little naive if you expect everything is always going to be perfect. Wouldn't it be nice if people would write comments on what a great flight they had---the flight attendants were wonderful---the customer service agents were really nice-- the pilots were really great. But we all like to complain and tell tales of what horrible things happened to us when we flew such & such airline.
Stephanie Nov 2nd 2009 11:43AM
Wow, you are so right. I would bet money that most of the people who are whining about United Airlines here rarely fly at all and are stretching the truth. Nearly everyone who works for an airline knows that when a person says he or she will never fly your airline again, rarely is that person a frequent flyer on any airline, and they have no loyalty to any one airline. They are only looking for the cheapest fare to get them from point A to point B. Then, when things happen that are beyond the control of the airline, such as weather or air traffic control delays, they can't understand that they, as the passenger, agreed to assume the risk of travel delays due to "acts of God" when they purchased their cheap ticket.