Story perspectives

Sinkhole Closes LaGuardia Runway, Triggers 200 Cancellations

5/21/2026

Summary

Port Authority Closes

The Port Authority closed LaGuardia’s Runway 4/22 after a sinkhole was found at 11 a.m. on May 20, 2024.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) slowed arrivals, causing about 200 cancellations and 190 delays per FlightAware.
Delta, handling roughly 40 percent of LaGuardia flights, and Southwest, which delayed about 20 arrivals and ran a ground stop from 6:20 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., were impacted.
Runway 4/22 is expected to stay closed until 6 a.m. on May 21.

Summary

Port Authority Investigates

Officials said investigators are exploring causes for the sinkhole, including a fuel-line tunneling project and aging water pipes.
A sinkhole on the Long Island Expressway a day earlier, likely caused by a municipal sewage-project contractor, underscores the region’s loose subsurface, according to professor Wei Li.
Port Authority crews deployed excavators and dump trucks to the runway, prompting experts to warn that temporary LaGuardia closures can ripple through the national air-travel system.

Summary

LaGuardia Delays

Weather forecasts predicted thunderstorms on May 20, worsening the sinkhole disruption at LaGuardia Airport.
The FAA reported an average delay of 1 hour 37 minutes at LaGuardia that day because of weather and thunderstorms.
FlightAware data showed that by 5 p.m. ET, 17 % of flights were canceled and 22 % delayed.
LaGuardia officials urged travelers on X to check directly with airlines as crews repaired the runway.

Summary

LaGuardia Sinkhole

A 2025 report says 3.5 million sq m of runways are sinking, 14,000 sq m high-risk, cites San Francisco Intl as the fastest-sinking hub and notes LaGuardia sits on 1930s reclaimed land.
Sinkhole opened at LaGuardia while a Severe Thunderstorm Watch covered NYC, New Jersey and Connecticut from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern.
Airport officials urged travelers to arrive early, reserve parking and allow time for check-in and security because of sinkhole and storms.

History

Historical Context

The Brooklyn–Queens Expressway, created during the 1960s Triborough Bridge expansion led by Robert Moses and widened in 1965 for $32.7 million, still uses the aging water-pipe network later repaired in a 2005 pavement rehab. A ruptured main caused a 30-foot sinkhole on the BQE in 2005 and another collapse closed LaGuardia’s Runway 4/22 in May 2024, prompting the Port Authority to cite the decades-old infrastructure.

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Port Authority Closes

The Port Authority closed LaGuardia’s Runway 4/22 after a sinkhole was found at 11 a.m. on May 20, 2024.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) slowed arrivals, causing about 200 cancellations and 190 delays per FlightAware.
Delta, handling roughly 40 percent of LaGuardia flights, and Southwest, which delayed about 20 arrivals and ran a ground stop from 6:20 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., were impacted.
Runway 4/22 is expected to stay closed until 6 a.m. on May 21.

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