Full Breakdown
Sinkhole Forces Runway Closure at LaGuardia Airport
5/24/2026, 1:56:40 AM
Sinkhole Forces Runway Closure
A sinkhole discovered during a routine inspection on Wednesday, May 20, forced the shutdown of Runway 4/22 at LaGuardia Airport, one of two runways. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) halted all movements on the strip, leaving the airport operating at reduced capacity for Memorial Day weekend.
Background, Timeline & Investigation
Runway 4/22 saw a March 2026 collision. The pavement rests on landfill, which Boules Morkos of NYU says weakens soil. After sinkhole was spotted Wednesday, Thursday’s radar and coring identified “possible areas of concern,” which were repaired. Friday inspections kept the runway closed; repairs finished evening, and PANYNJ projected reopening at 6 a.m. Saturday.
Flight Delays and Impact
FlightAware logged 300 delayed flights by Friday, and data showed over 1,000 delayed or canceled flights, including 150+ delays and six cancellations. Newsday’s Misery Map showed departure delays of 16–30 minutes, arrival delays averaging 41 minutes, and inbound origin delays of 1 hour 35 minutes. Disruption coincided with AAA’s forecast of a Memorial Day weekend, expecting 45 million travelers.
Official Statements & Responses
Officials cited “abundance of caution,” noting voids required repair. Agency set a goal to finish inspections by 6 a.m. Saturday. LaGuardia Airport’s statement said areas of concern had been identified and proactively repaired, and runway reopened while cause remained under investigation.
Criticism & Opposition
Critics point to nearby fuel-line tunneling project and airport landfill foundation as contributors, urging thorough review.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Outlets reported Friday-evening reopening, while others kept Saturday 6 a.m. Sinkhole’s cause remains unconfirmed, with fuel-line work and landfill soil cited.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our staff discovered, as part of their routine inspections, the sinkhole. We are continuing to use ground-penetrating radar and coring samples to find any additional voids,” — Kathryn Garcia, Executive Director, PANYNJ
- “Following a thorough inspection of LaGuardia's airfield pavement using ground-penetrating radar, areas of concern were identified and proactively repaired. Those repairs are now complete, and Runway 4/22 has been reopened. Our investigation into the cause of the sinkhole is ongoing,” — LaGuardia Airport spokesperson
- “Because filled soil ... doesn't have the same strength like the naturally deposed soil that's already there,” — Boules Morkos, Research Fellow, Geotechnical Engineering, NYU
- “Out of an abundance of caution, engineering crews have decided to conduct additional inspections that necessitate the continued closure of Runway 4/22.” — Port Authority spokesperson
On-the-Ground Reports
Travelers reported waits and missed connections. Kerry Edwards said a two-hour delay caused him to miss dinner surprise. Sariah Taylor experienced two delays and a cancellation, while Lori Berman expressed concern about airport problems.
What’s Next
The Port Authority will investigate sinkhole’s origin, conduct further radar surveys, and evaluate remedial work before restoring full runway capacity.
