LaGuardia Runway Closed After Sinkhole

Port Authority crews closed Runway 4/22 at LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday after finding a sinkhole during a morning inspection of the Queens airfield, disrupting operations at one of New York City's busiest airports. The closure removed one of LaGuardia's two runways from service ahead of the Memorial Day travel rush, prompting delays and cancellations as airlines adjusted schedules. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said crews found the hole at about 11 a.m. on May 20 and immediately shut the runway while emergency construction and engineering teams assessed the damage. The Federal Aviation Administration warned of broader terminal impacts at LaGuardia and nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport as the closure stretched into Thursday. ### Where was the sinkhole found, and when did crews spot it? At about 11 a.m. Wednesday, Port Authority crews identified the sinkhole near Runway 4/22 during LaGuardia's daily morning airfield inspection, according to the agency's statement reported by multiple outlets. The runway was shut down immediately while crews moved in with construction equipment and began repairs. No injuries were reported. (cnbc.com) Runway 4/22 is one of two runways at LaGuardia, and its closure narrowed the airport's operating capacity as thunderstorms were also forecast for the New York region on Wednesday. The Port Authority told travelers to expect delays and cancellations and to check directly with their airlines. ### How long is the runway expected to stay closed? The FAA's current operations plan on Thursday listed "LGA - RWY 04/22 CLOSED UNTIL 05/27/26 1800Z." (abcnews.com) In the same advisory, the agency said "LGA RUNWAY CLOSURE IS EXPECTED TO BE EXTENDED THROUGH 04Z" and warned of terminal impacts to both LaGuardia and JFK. Local reports citing Port Authority updates said officials had at first aimed for a quicker reopening before pushing the estimate back. (cnbc.com) CBS New York reported that the agency later said the runway was not expected to reopen until Friday as repairs and inspections continued. ### What did the disruption look like for travelers? Flight conditions at LaGuardia shifted through Thursday. (fly.faa.gov) The FAA's airport-status page said at 1:51 p.m. UTC on May 21 that general departure delays were limited to gate hold and taxi delays of 15 minutes or less, while general arrival delays were airborne delays of 15 minutes or less. Earlier reports showed heavier disruption. FOX 5 New York, citing FlightAware data, said LaGuardia arrival delays for airborne aircraft were averaging 35 minutes and increasing, while other local reports said cancellations mounted as carriers reworked schedules around the missing runway. (cbsnews.com) ### Why did one runway closure matter so much at LaGuardia? LaGuardia operates with two runways, so taking Runway 4/22 out of service left the airport with reduced flexibility during a high-volume travel period. (fly.faa.gov) CNBC reported that the closure came just before the busy Memorial Day stretch, when airlines were already preparing for heavier passenger traffic. The Port Authority has also been carrying out runway and taxiway rehabilitation work around 4/22 in recent years. (fox5ny.com) Port Authority and FAA planning documents show prior rehabilitation and structural work tied to Runway 4-22 and nearby taxiways, underscoring that the airfield area has been the subject of ongoing infrastructure projects. (cnbc.com) ### What should passengers watch next? The Port Authority said repair crews were working to restore the runway as quickly and safely as possible, while the FAA continued to post airport-status and operations-plan updates. LaGuardia's official airport site also directs passengers to real-time arrivals and departures pages for terminal and flight information. The next concrete milestone is the runway-status update itself: the FAA operations plan on May 21 listed Runway 04/22 as closed until May 27 at 1800Z, while local reports said Port Authority crews were still aiming for an earlier reopening if repairs and inspections finish sooner. (panynj.gov) (fly.faa.gov) (cnbc.com)