Lesson Not Learned: United Loses Musician’s Bag

You remember “United Breaks Guitars,” right? Of course you do. The song, written as a desperate attempt to strike back at the airline, became a YouTube sensation and publicity nightmare (or boon, depending on whether or not you think all publicity is good publicity) for United, and propelled musician Dave Carroll to worldwide notoriety both as a singer and burgeoning passenger-rights speaker.

But all that fame and attention apparently doesn’t mean Carroll’s bags won’t get lost, even when flying the very airline he mocked in his music. That’s right, United lost Dave Carroll’s bag last week, as he was flying from Regina, Saskatchewan, to Denver to give a speech about—you guessed it—airline customer service. Yes, this story is thick with irony.

“The only direct flight to Denver was with United,” Carroll said. “So I flew United and my bag got lost.” Not only were his bags lost, but they took an absolutely bizarre route. His bags traveled first to Calgary, and then to Dallas-Ft. Worth, before arriving in Denver several days after he did.

“I guess the smart thing to do would be to avoid United,” Carroll said. The airline said it would send him a $150 voucher, but as of late last week it hadn’t arrived.

United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski, who has already had her hands full with Carroll, said, “We will fully investigate what regretfully happened.”

“We are doing everything we can to see it doesn’t happen again,” United spokesman Charlie Hobart added.

I might suggest not losing so many bags, especially bags that belong to people who’ve essentially created a niche career out of mocking you … for losing baggage. Just a thought!