Sinkhole closes LaGuardia runway, cancels flights

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 during a daily morning inspection of the airfield. The closure affected Runway 4/22 and left the Queens airport operating with its remaining major runway as airlines and federal controllers managed delays ahead of Memorial Day travel. Port Authority officials said emergency construction and engineering crews were sent to the site to determine the cause and make repairs. Weather added to the disruption, with thunderstorms also affecting traffic across the New York region. ### Where was the sinkhole, and when did crews find it? Port Authority crews found the sinkhole near Runway 4/22 at about 11 a.m. on May 20 during a routine inspection, according to statements cited by multiple outlets. The agency said the runway was immediately shut down after the discovery. CNBC and ABC News reported that the Port Authority described the hole as being near one of LaGuardia’s two runways. (cnbc.com) North Jersey-area follow-up coverage cited by search results said the problem was part of the continuing disruption on May 21. ### How long is the runway expected to stay closed? The FAA’s current operations plan advisory on May 21 listed “LGA - RWY 04/22 CLOSED UNTIL 05/27/26 1800Z.” The same advisory said the Port Authority would provide a runway update after 1330Z on May 21. (cnbc.com) FAA planning documents for May 21 also showed LaGuardia as a candidate for a ground stop or delay program later in the day because of broader weather and traffic conditions in the Northeast. (cnbc.com) That means the runway problem was unfolding inside an already constrained airspace system rather than in isolation. ### Why did the disruption spread beyond the damaged pavement? Thunderstorms were already slowing flights at New York-area airports when the runway shut down, according to the Port Authority statement reported by CNBC. (fly.faa.gov) Delta Air Lines separately posted a New York City weather advisory on May 20 covering Newark, White Plains, JFK and LaGuardia. The FAA’s airport-status page for LaGuardia showed changing conditions between May 20 and the morning of May 21, and federal advisories pointed to continuing weather-related traffic management in the region. (fly.faa.gov) That combination — one less runway at LaGuardia and storm-driven flow controls across the Northeast — helps explain why cancellations and delays built quickly. ### Which airlines were mentioned in the immediate response? (cnbc.com) Southwest Airlines told CNBC that about 20 of its arrivals would be delayed on May 20. Delta said it had a weather waiver in place for flights in and out of New York City-area airports and allowed customers to rebook by Sunday. Local television and newspaper reports published on May 21 said travelers were still seeing cancellations and extended waits at LaGuardia as crews worked on repairs. (faa.gov) Flight-specific impacts varied by carrier and destination, and airport and FAA pages both said passengers should check directly with their airlines. ### What should travelers watch next? (cnbc.com) LaGuardia’s airport advisories page on the evening of May 20 warned that weather conditions had caused flight disruptions and told passengers to check with their airlines. The airport’s flight-status pages continue to post real-time departures and arrivals. The FAA’s operations advisory on May 21 listed the runway closure through May 27 at 1800Z, making that the clearest public milestone for now. (ny1.com) Any earlier reopening, extension, or traffic-management change would be expected to appear first in Port Authority updates, LaGuardia advisories, or FAA status pages. (fly.faa.gov) (laguardiaairport.com)