Sinkhole closes LaGuardia runway 4-22

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey closed LaGuardia Airport’s Runway 4-22 on May 20 after crews discovered a sinkhole during a daily airfield inspection, forcing one of the airport’s two runways out of service ahead of the Memorial Day travel period. (cnbc.com) The agency said travelers should expect delays and cancellations while emergency construction and engineering crews inspected the pavement and began repairs. CNBC reported the closure came with thunderstorms in the forecast, adding to disruption risks at the Queens airport. KTUL reported on May 23 that Runway 4-22 remained closed pending inspection and repairs through the weekend, but later local reports said the runway reopened on May 22 after additional work. (abc7ny.com) LaGuardia said the cause of the sinkhole remained under investigation even after the runway returned to service. ### When was the sinkhole found, and where was it? The Port Authority said crews found the sinkhole on Runway 4-22 during a daily morning inspection on May 20, and the runway was shut immediately. NBC New York and CNBC both reported the hole was discovered near the runway and triggered emergency repairs. (cnbc.com) LaGuardia is one of the New York region’s busiest airports, and Runway 4-22 is one of only two runways at the airport. That made the closure operationally significant even though the airport itself remained open. (abc7ny.com) ### How much did the runway closure affect flights? NY1 reported more than 280 cancellations at LaGuardia on May 20 as the sinkhole closure and severe thunderstorms hit operations. The Port Authority told travelers to expect delays and cancellations and to check with airlines for updated flight status. (cnbc.com) QNS reported that hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed during the closure and said reduced capacity affected flight operations while the airport stayed open. Local outlets said travelers were stranded as airlines worked through the backlog. (cnbc.com) ### Why did repairs take more than a few hours? Port Authority officials initially aimed to reopen the runway around noon, CBS New York reported, but the closure extended as crews inspected the surrounding pavement and carried out more repairs. NBC New York said an excavator was brought in as work continued. (ny1.com) ABC7 New York reported that ground-penetrating radar later identified additional areas of concern, which LaGuardia said were proactively repaired before the runway reopened. The airport said more inspections would continue as a precaution. (qns.com) ### Was the runway still closed on May 23? KTUL’s May 23 report said Runway 4-22 remained closed pending inspection and repairs through the weekend. But ABC7 New York, NBC New York and News 12 all reported on May 22 that the runway had reopened after repairs were completed. (cbsnews.com) The discrepancy appears to reflect the timing of reports as conditions changed. LaGuardia said after reopening that “thorough” inspections had been completed, repairs were finished, and the cause of the sinkhole was still under investigation. That is an inference based on the sequence of published reports and the airport’s later statement. (abc7ny.com) ### What happens next for travelers and the airport? LaGuardia said on May 22 that additional inspections would continue and that travelers should expect residual delays and check flight status with their airlines. (abc7ny.com) The Port Authority has not publicly identified the cause of the sinkhole. The next concrete step is the continuing investigation into the pavement failure and follow-up inspections of the airfield, according to LaGuardia’s statement after the runway reopened. (abc7ny.com)