United tries piggybacking on Wendy's nuggets retweet fame
Commentary: A Wendy's fan gets more retweets than anyone in history, and United Airlines decides to join in on the fun. Twitter is not in the mood.
Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives.
United isn't exactly popular these days.
It takes quite some skill to become as hated as United Airlines.
The airline has been vilified for dragging a paying passenger -- 69-year-old David Dao -- off a plane last month because he wouldn't "volunteer" to be bumped after he was seated. Other unpleasant incidents this year on United involve a scorpion, a bunny and leggings.
Some might advise United to lay low for a little while. Instead, the airline took to Twitter to play nice.
This week, a Nevada teen achieved the most retweets of all time (3.6 million) -- all in the cause of getting a year's worth of free Wendy's chicken nuggets. On Wednesday, United popped up to remind the teen of its offer in early April of a free flight to the Wendy's of his choice. (Is there a Wendy's in the Seychelles?)
"Hey @carterjwm, congrats on your world record! It's time to decide where in the world you'd like to visit a @Wendys! DM to get the [plane emoji] rolling," United tweeted.
Twitter's hearts didn't soar.
"You should invite him and Dr. Dao together, to a @wendy's outing," tweeted Shabooty from Howard Stern's show.
"Yo @United how many retweets to not get assaulted by you on my next flight?" mused Postmates VP Siqi Chen.
"IT'S A TRAP THEY'LL "REACCOMODATE" YOU AND TAKE YOUR NUGGS," warned Doog. (United CEO Oscar Muñoz had at first only apologized that Dao had to be "re-accommodated.")
United didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the Twitter backlash.
Perhaps, though, tweeter Nick Mazzetti had the finest perspective on United's sudden attempt to be friendly.
"If this gets 18M RT's I'll actually fly @united again," he tweeted.
I fear Mazzetti won't be flying United again any time soon.
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