Cruise Passengers Land at XNA, Return Home
By: Tyler Thomason
Updated: February 17, 2013
A warm welcome for some weary travelers.
"You know, I just want to put it all behind us, I'm just glad to see my family, that was the hardest part," says LouAnn Leichner, who returned home to Northwest Arkansas after her latest cruise line adventure.
Leichner, along with a few other Arkansans arrived at XNA Friday night after spending five nights on a Carnival cruise ship without power.
"Glad to be home, glad to see my family and put everything else behind me," Leichner says.
Leichner didn't want to comment much on the conditions, but she did speak about how she and her cruise ship companions were able to pass the time.
"We rallied together and had toga parties and had a good time...and called the Hogs."
They also found some time to do a little re-decorating.
"We did make the Woo Pig Sooiee sign, there's 14 of us so we made the sign," Leichner says.
Cody Autry, also aboard the ship, remains pretty positive about his experience.
"The crew of the ship was phenomenal, they did a super job taking care of us...and that's all I'd like to say."
Family members flooded the bottom of the XNA escalator with signs, hugs, tears of joy -- and a familar sound as many called the Hogs right in the middle of the airport.
