Travelers share stories of making it to Madison by Christmas

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) -The Dane County Regional Airport was filled with the hustle and bustle of holiday travelers Sunday, as people made their way to loved ones on Christmas day, many with stories of long, round-about routes before reaching their destination.

“So we were initially trying to fly into Milwaukee and then drive up to the Wisconsin Dells because that’s where I’m my mother and father-in-law live,” said Jolyana Kroupa. “Our flight was canceled, delayed, delayed, delayed, then canceled.”

Kroupa and her family flew in from Phoenix, Arizona, rescheduling their flight further back into the weekend due to cancellations, even changing their destination city from Milwaukee to Madison to get to Wisconsin. The ripple effects of the winter storm impacted people across the country trying to fly into the Badger state. Laura Nitsche waited until Saturday to leave Anchorage, Alaska.

“They were having a blizzard there, so that was how my day started on Saturday, but I got to the airport in Anchorage alright,” said Nitsche.

But delays kept her from making a connecting flight from Chicago, Illinois, to Madison.

After bouncing around airports and waiting on new flights, Kroupa and Nitsche were a few of the many families in the airport to make it loved ones on Christmas Day.

“Well, when I got my ticket in hand to board the plane from Chicago to Madison, I had tears in my eyes,” said Nitsche. “It’s my first Christmas back since moving up to Alaska, so it’s really special that I get to be here.”

And making it back, even a little late, is the best Christmas present they could ask for.

“The big picture is, you know, we’re focusing on the positive, which is we can travel, we can be together, and there are some instances where some families don’t have that opportunity,” said Kroupa.

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