Key West residents reconnected with loved ones Wednesday as the town's airport opened back up to commercial flights for the first time since Hurricane Irma struck.
Passengers arrived at Key West International Airport and were met by family members who they had been separated from for days after the powerful storm struck.
Billy Winn stayed behind and rode out the storm at his house with his pets while his wife and daughter went north.
"We didn't know because we were told first it was going to be Friday. I didn't see that happening because Key West wasn't ready for that yet. And then it was Monday and it kept getting pushed back. I'm just glad they're here," Winn said. "It's great, it's absolutely great, just great. I mean, I missed them terribly and I know they were having fun at grandma's house."
"Oh sure, very worried, we were prepared and took precautions and did the best we can do," Jerian Winn said.
Passengers like Cindy Bloom were also glad to be back. She said she didn't take the decision to leave lightly.
"I flew to Kentucky. I've never left in 40 years but this one scared me," she said.
The first Delta flight from Atlanta arrived at 1:01 p.m. Most of the passengers NBC 6 spoke with already have an idea of how their homes fared during the hurricane.
"I have aerial pictures and it looks like it's ok, my boat's ok. My next door neighbor's boat is lying down on the side on the bottom," Budd Elliott said.
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"I'm relieved, I'm glad we could come back and that we have a house to come back to," Andres Ippolitl said.
