Runway 4/22 still closed after sinkhole, snarling flights ahead of Memorial Day

Runway 4/22 at LaGuardia Airport closed on Wednesday, May 20, after Port Authority crews found a sinkhole during a morning inspection of the airfield. The closure took one of the airport’s two runways out of service just before the Memorial Day travel rush, forcing airlines to operate on reduced capacity. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said emergency construction and engineering crews were sent to the site to determine the cause and make repairs. Airlines and airport officials warned travelers to expect delays and some cancellations while the runway remained closed. ### Where was the sinkhole, and when was it found? Port Authority crews found the sinkhole near Runway 4/22 at about 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20, according to statements reported by CNBC and ABC News. The agency said the runway was shut down immediately after the discovery so crews could inspect the damage and begin repairs. LaGuardia has two runways, and the closure of Runway 4/22 reduced the airport’s operating flexibility during a busy holiday week. ABC News reported that the Port Authority later said the cause of the sinkhole remained under investigation even after the runway was repaired. ### How did the runway closure affect flights? Southwest Airlines said about 20 of its arrivals were expected to be delayed on Wednesday, according to CNBC. Delta Air Lines said it issued a weather waiver for flights in and out of New York City-area airports, allowing customers to rebook for travel no later than Sunday. The Port Authority said travelers should expect delays and cancellations while the runway was closed. Thunderstorms in the New York region added another source of disruption on Wednesday, and CNBC reported that the Federal Aviation Administration was already tracking weather-related delays across the region. ### Was LaGuardia completely shut down? LaGuardia Airport remained open during the runway closure, but its flight capacity was reduced, the Port Authority said. ABC News reported that airport officials said the closure of one runway affected operations even though flights continued to arrive and depart. FAA airport-status pages later showed only limited delays at LaGuardia, with gate-hold and taxi delays of 15 minutes or less and arrival delays of 15 minutes or less in the latest posted update. The FAA says those airport-status pages describe general conditions and are not flight-specific. ### Has Runway 4/22 reopened? ABC News reported on Friday, May 22, that Runway 4/22 had reopened after what the airport described as “thorough inspections” and repairs. The Port Authority said ground-penetrating radar was used to identify other areas of concern, which were then repaired before the runway returned to service. The Port Authority said “residual delays” could continue even after the reopening and urged travelers to check flight status with their airlines. That meant the operational impact could continue beyond the point when the runway itself was back in use. ### Why were officials warning travelers ahead of Memorial Day? The closure came during one of the busiest U.S. air-travel periods of the spring. ABC News reported that the Transportation Security Administration expected to screen 18.3 million people at U.S. airports through Wednesday of the Memorial Day travel period. FAA planning pages also showed the potential for delay programs at LaGuardia during the weekend, though those forecasts can change with weather and traffic conditions. The combination of a runway outage, holiday demand and regional weather led airport officials and airlines to tell passengers to check before leaving for the airport. ### What should travelers do now? The FAA says passengers should use airline-specific tools to confirm whether an individual flight is affected, even when general airport conditions appear normal. Port Authority alerts pages direct airport customers to LaGuardia’s official channels for the latest advisories. As of the latest FAA status update available, LaGuardia was reporting only limited general delays, while the Port Authority said the investigation into the cause of the sinkhole was ongoing. Travelers flying through LaGuardia over Memorial Day weekend can monitor airline apps, FAA airport-status pages and Port Authority advisories for the next operational updates.