Sinkhole at LaGuardia Airport Forces Runway Closure Amid Busy Holiday Travel
A significant sinkhole has been discovered at LaGuardia Airport, resulting in runway closures and considerable travel disruptions. This incident has led to 24 flight cancellations and 17 delays, affecting many travelers during the Memorial Day weekend. Emergency teams are on-site to address the issue, although the exact cause of the sinkhole remains under investigation, which adds to the airport’s recent operational difficulties.
On Wednesday, one of the two primary runways was temporarily closed after inspectors identified “potholes” near the pavement. This is actually the second such runway suspension in less than a month due to pavement concerns.
The sinkhole, which measures about 2 inches in depth, was located adjacent to Runway 4/22, one of LaGuardia’s main runways. An airport spokesperson stated that the closure was a precautionary measure taken out of “an abundance of caution,” although they emphasized that there was no “immediate safety concern.”
According to FlightAware flight data, arrivals at the airport are currently averaging a delay of 48 minutes, although this trend appears to be improving. Earlier reports noted 174 delays early Wednesday, which is quite a significant number.
The affected Runway 4/22 is expected to remain closed until at least Thursday morning while repair crews work overnight to investigate the issue further and make necessary repairs. The airport has stated, “Our aim is to complete the assessment and all required repair work overnight so we can safely return the runway to use as quickly as possible.”
During this closure, operations will shift to the remaining runway, which is set to begin at 5 p.m. Furthermore, passengers are urged to check in with their airlines for updates on flight statuses.
This incident marks the second occurrence of emergency maintenance needed on the same section of pavement in less than a month, having previously been closed due to a sinkhole around the busy Memorial Day travel period.
