LaGuardia sinkhole closes one runway

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey found a sinkhole near LaGuardia Airport’s Runway 4/22 at about 11 a.m. on Wednesday during a daily airfield inspection and immediately shut the runway, according to airport and airline officials. The closure took one of LaGuardia’s two runways out of service as the airport moved into the Memorial Day travel period. The Federal Aviation Administration said it was slowing flights into LaGuardia because of “weather and a sinkhole on Runway 4/22.” By Wednesday afternoon, FlightAware reported 197 cancellations and 168 delays into and out of LaGuardia. ### Where was the sinkhole, and when was it discovered? Port Authority crews identified the hole near Runway 4/22 during the airport’s routine morning inspection on May 20, the agency said. The runway was shut down at once, and emergency construction and engineering crews were sent to the site to assess the cause and begin repairs. (cnbc.com) ABC News reported that the sinkhole was found around 11 a.m. local time. Fox 5 New York said no injuries were reported. ### Why did one runway closure cause such broad disruption? LaGuardia has two runways, and Runway 4/22 is one of them, according to the Port Authority and ABC News. (cnbc.com) Taking one runway out of service reduced operating capacity at an airport that already handles dense short-haul traffic and frequent schedule banks. (abcnews.com) The FAA said weather was also part of the problem. The Port Authority warned travelers to expect delays and cancellations, “particularly with forecast thunderstorms expected later today,” while the FAA said delays were being imposed because of both the sinkhole and weather. ### How bad did the delays get on Wednesday? (abcnews.com) FlightAware data cited by ABC News showed 197 cancellations and 168 delays into and out of LaGuardia by Wednesday mid-afternoon. Fox 5 New York separately reported arrival delays for airborne aircraft averaging 35 minutes and increasing earlier in the day. (abcnews.com) The FAA also placed LaGuardia under a ground delay program, and ABC News said flights departing to LaGuardia were delayed by an average of 98 minutes at one point. FlightAware’s airport status page on Thursday showed LaGuardia was still experiencing arrival and departure delays, though both were decreasing. (abcnews.com) ### What have airlines and airport officials said? The Port Authority said emergency crews were working to determine the cause and complete repairs “as quickly and safely as possible.” The agency also said it was in close communication with airlines and airport partners and urged passengers to check directly with carriers for updated flight status information. (abcnews.com) Southwest Airlines said about 20 of its arrivals would be delayed on Wednesday, though a spokesman said weather was also playing a role. Delta Air Lines said it had issued a weather waiver for flights in and out of New York City-area airports and allowed customers to rebook for travel no later than Sunday. ### How long was the runway expected to stay closed? (cnbc.com) An FAA notice cited by ABC News said Runway 4/22 was expected to remain closed until at least 6 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, though that timing was subject to change. NBC New York also reported that the runway was set to reopen on Thursday as repairs continued. (cnbc.com) LaGuardia’s flight-status page and airline advisories were the main public sources for next-step updates on Thursday morning. Travelers were being directed to check their airline directly as the FAA and Port Authority continued to manage operations around the closure. (laguardiaairport.com) (abcnews.com)