LaGuardia runway closure snarls Memorial Day travel, causing widespread flight delays

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shut one of LaGuardia Airport's two runways on Wednesday, May 20, after crews found a sinkhole near Runway 4/22 during a daily airfield inspection. The closure came days before Memorial Day weekend, one of the busiest travel periods on the airport calendar, and airport officials warned passengers to expect delays and cancellations. Bloomberg reported the runway remained closed through early Saturday, May 23, after additional inspections found "possible areas of concern" that were repaired. CNBC reported thunderstorms moving into the region on Wednesday added to the disruption. ### Where was the problem, and why did it shut a runway? The Port Authority said crews identified a sinkhole near Runway 4/22 while inspecting the airfield on Wednesday morning. The agency said the runway was "immediately shut down" so emergency construction and engineering crews could determine the cause and make repairs. QNS reported the hole was on Taxiway Bravo rather than on the runway itself, but close enough that Runway 4/22 was closed while investigators checked for other unstable areas. (cnbc.com) QNS said engineers used ground-penetrating radar and core samples as part of the inspection work, citing a Port Authority statement. ### How long did the closure last? (cnbc.com) Bloomberg reported on Friday, May 22, that Runway 4/22 would remain closed until 6 a.m. local time on Saturday, May 23. LaGuardia airport said in a social media post, cited by Bloomberg, that inspections on Thursday found "possible areas of concern" that were proactively repaired and that the runway would stay closed for additional checks "out of an abundance of caution." (qns.com) QNS later reported the runway reopened at 7:45 p.m. Friday after repairs were completed. The Port Authority said its investigation into the cause of the sinkhole was continuing and warned travelers to expect residual delays even after the reopening. ### Why did the disruption hit so hard before Memorial Day? The Port Authority said about 5.6 million travelers were expected to use its airports and vehicular crossings during the five-day Memorial Day travel period from Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25. (bloomberg.com) That put LaGuardia's runway problem in the middle of a heavy holiday push across the New York region. (qns.com) CNBC reported the closure reduced capacity at one of the country's most congested airports. The outlet said about 20 Southwest Airlines arrivals were expected to be delayed on Wednesday, while Delta Air Lines put a weather waiver in place for New York City-area flights and allowed customers to rebook through Sunday. ### Was it only the sinkhole, or was weather part of it too? (panynj.gov) CNBC reported thunderstorms forecast for Wednesday were also expected to slow operations across the New York City area and parts of New Jersey. The FAA was already reporting weather-related delays at the region's major airports as the runway closure unfolded, according to CNBC. (cnbc.com) QNS reported heavy rain on Wednesday evening hampered repair crews in Queens. That meant the airport was dealing with both reduced runway capacity and weather pressure at the same time. ### What should travelers check now? The FAA's live airport status page for LaGuardia said on Sunday, May 24, that no destination-specific delays were being reported and that general arrival and departure delays were 15 minutes or less. (cnbc.com) The FAA says the page reflects general airport conditions and is not flight-specific. The Port Authority and the FAA have both told passengers to check directly with their airlines for the latest flight information. (qns.com) The Port Authority's airport and flights page also carries current airport information for LaGuardia and the region's other airports. ### What happens next at LaGuardia? The Port Authority said its investigation into the cause of the sinkhole is ongoing. (fly.faa.gov) QNS reported the agency completed repairs and reopened Runway 4/22 on Friday evening, while warning that residual delays could continue. Travelers over the rest of the Memorial Day period can monitor airline notices and the FAA's LaGuardia status page for updated operating conditions. (qns.com) (cnbc.com)