Myrna Herzog’s viola da gamba severely damaged on her Alitalia flight

On 2 January Brazilian born Israeli musician and player of the viola da gamba and baroque cello Myrna Herzog traveled on Alitalia from Rio De Janeiro to Tel Aviv (via Rome Fiumicino), with her original 17th century Lewis viola da gamba. The airline promised a smooth handling of the old instrument, but on arrival in Tel Aviv Myrna could only find a severely damaged viola da gamba.

At check-in in Rio De Janeiro the airline ensured her that the viola da gamba would be treated with care, taken by hand into the aircraft and out of it again. After arrival in Tel Aviv she could only establish that her instrument was entirely ruined. Myrna thinks that a vehicle ran over it, the musician tried to contact Alitalia yet without success. The only answer that Myrna got was that “Alitalia doesn’t take any responsibility for the damage“.

It is not the first time that Alitalia mishandles luggage: in August 2017 Italian bike trial champion Vittorio Brumotti’s two bikes got damaged.