Last plane from Miami before Irma hits, lands in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Folks are feeling grateful they beat Hurricane Irma in Florida, to land at Philadelphia International Airport Friday night.

Trying to escape the wrath of Hurricane Irma has been a massive exodus, which has been unlike anything many travelers have been through.

Michelle Fidance of Wilmington, Delaware said, "I've been traveling to Orlando for work for about 10 years, and I've never ever seen it like this ever before."

Many had to cut their vacations short.

"I rebooked at 8 in the morning, but in the afternoon they were all gone, they were sold out, so we got a new flight in the nick of time," said Megan Adiletto of Tout, Pa.

When asked if she felt lucky? She said, "Oh definitely, I did not wanna be stuck down there."

Others were not as lucky. James and Lauren Malachrino arrived in Miami on Monday from London in the UK for a weeks' vacation, and ended up scrambling to find a flight out of there.

"So we looked, and looked at flights but they got cancelled, so we had to book somewhere else, but the train had no other way to get out," said James Malachrino.

They ended up catching the last train from Miami.

"It took about 30 hours to get here," he said.

Of all places, they booked a train to Paoli, anywhere just to get out of Florida.

"We don't really know what to do, yeah, it was scary," Lauren Malachrino said.

Meanwhile, among some who got out, there is a feeling of guilt that some loved ones stayed behind.

Julie Whitlock of Melbourne Beach, Florida said, "It's sad and because of my age, my son down there, insisted that I come home."

Roseanne Cook of Winter Haven, Florida's family says they urged her to come here for her sister's 60th birthday while they stayed behind.

"I'm torn, I'm happy but I'm also sad because I'm worried about them, I'm leaving everybody there and I don't know what I'm going back to," she said.

Cook added, "All I can do is hope and pray, and leave them in God's hands."

As you can see, it has been quite a day for so many people trying to escape Hurricane Irma, as many hope and pray for the best.

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