Dave Carroll is getting ready to sing a happy tune.
United Airlines, the company whose poor customer service prompted the Halifax musician to post a song online video that’s garnered worldwide attention, has agreed to make a donation to charity to make up for its mistakes.
“United will donate $3,000 to the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz for music education for kids,” company spokeswoman Robin Urbanski aid Friday.
The announcement was made in response to a YouTube request by Carroll that United direct any compensation the airline wanted to send to him for breaking one his guitars, go instead to charity.
“I think it’s pretty great and a show of good faith to help other people,” Carroll said before a performance of his group Sons of Maxwell in Arichat, N.S.
Carroll had spent several frustrating months dealing with United Airlines customer service workers trying to get reimbursement for the $1,200 he paid to repair his damaged $3,500 Taylor acoustic guitar.
The airline’s change of heart only came after a video of a song he wrote, “United Breaks Guitars,” appeared on YouTube this week and got worldwide attention.
The twangy tune made CNN and the YouTube video garnered over 1.6 million viewers by Friday night.
“The publicity has led to increased sales of Sons of Maxwell music and a Friday night phone call from Taylor Guitars, which “is going to give me a guitar or two for my troubles,” Carroll said.
