LaGuardia runway closed by sinkhole

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shut LaGuardia Airport’s Runway 4/22 on Wednesday, May 20, after crews found a sinkhole near the runway during a daily airfield inspection around 11 a.m. The closure took one of the airport’s two runways out of service just as thunderstorms moved into the New York region and Memorial Day travel was beginning to build. The Federal Aviation Administration said it was slowing flights into LaGuardia because of weather and the runway problem. Travelers were told to expect delays and cancellations as repair crews moved heavy equipment onto the airfield. ### Where was the sinkhole and why did it force a shutdown? Runway 4/22 was closed after Port Authority crews identified the sinkhole on the taxiway at the edge of the runway, according to CBS New York and the Port Authority. ABC News reported the runway was “immediately” shut down and emergency construction and engineering crews were sent to the site to determine the cause and make repairs. (abcnews.com) The Port Authority said the damage was discovered during a routine morning inspection, not after an aircraft incident. CBS New York reported investigators were examining possible causes, including a fuel-line tunneling project, though officials had not publicly identified a confirmed cause as of Thursday morning. ### Why did one runway closure hit LaGuardia so hard? (cbsnews.com) LaGuardia has only two runways, and CBS New York reported that once Runway 4/22 closed, all takeoffs and landings had to be handled on Runway 13/31. That left the airport with less room to absorb bad weather, schedule changes and aircraft sequencing problems than nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport or Newark Liberty International Airport, which have more runways. (cbsnews.com) The FAA said on Wednesday that flights into LaGuardia were being delayed because of “weather and a sinkhole on Runway 4/22.” ABC News reported average departure delays to LaGuardia of 98 minutes by Wednesday afternoon, with 197 cancellations into and out of the airport and 168 delays, citing FlightAware. CNBC reported Southwest Airlines expected about 20 delayed arrivals on Wednesday, while Delta Air Lines put a weather waiver in place for New York City-area airports and allowed customers to rebook through Sunday. (cbsnews.com) ### How far did the disruption spread beyond LaGuardia? NorthJersey.com reported that delays and cancellations were also affecting Newark Liberty on Thursday after a combination of weather and the LaGuardia runway problem disrupted traffic across the region. The article described the New York area’s two busiest airports as still dealing with the aftereffects a day after storms and the sinkhole snarled operations ahead of the holiday weekend. (abcnews.com) CNBC reported that weather was already delaying flights across all three major airports serving the New York City area and much of New Jersey on Wednesday, adding to the effect of the runway closure at LaGuardia. That meant airlines were adjusting aircraft rotations and passenger reaccommodations across the region rather than only at one airport. ### What were officials saying on Thursday? (northjersey.com) CBS New York reported on Thursday morning that Port Authority officials had first aimed to reopen the runway around noon, then pushed the timing back until Friday. The station quoted the agency as saying Runway 4/22 “remains closed as emergency construction and engineering crews complete necessary repairs and proactive inspections of the airfield as quickly and safely as possible.” (cnbc.com) QNS and Gothamist both reported Thursday that the runway remained closed roughly 24 hours after the hole was discovered, with crews still working on repairs. Travelers were again advised to check directly with their airlines before heading to the airport. ### What happens next for passengers? Thursday, May 21, became the next key date because Port Authority crews were still repairing and inspecting Runway 4/22, and CBS New York reported the reopening target had slipped to Friday. (cbsnews.com) Airlines including Delta had already issued flexible rebooking options through Sunday for affected travelers in the New York area. (qns.com)