Airport officials confirmed that Runway 4/22 at LaGuardia International Airport was shut down on Wednesday after crews identified a sinkhole during a routine morning airfield inspection.
Runway Closure Causes Delays And Cancellations
The closure forced airlines to reroute departures and arrivals onto the airport’s second runway, creating delays and cancellations at one of the United States’ busiest airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration said flights into LaGuardia were slowed due to both weather conditions and the runway sinkhole.
Travel disruption continued into Thursday morning as emergency engineering and construction teams worked overnight to repair the damaged section of the airfield.
Port Authority Hopes To Reopen Runway Quickly
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said crews were conducting repairs alongside broader proactive inspections of the surrounding runway infrastructure.
Officials stated there was a possibility the runway could reopen earlier than initially expected depending on inspection results.
A large illuminated “X” was placed on the runway to indicate to pilots that the airfield section was closed and unusable.
Emergency Crews Worked Overnight
Construction crews remained on site through the night in an effort to minimise disruption during the start of the Memorial Day holiday travel period.
LaGuardia Airport is known for operating with extremely tight scheduling and high aircraft movement volumes, leaving little operational flexibility when runway capacity is reduced.
Air Traffic Control Audio Captured Response
Air traffic control audio recorded after the incident captured a pilot asking what had happened to the runway.
A ground controller responded by informing the pilot that there was a sinkhole and that repair equipment had already arrived at the scene.
US Airports Face Infrastructure Pressure
The incident highlights ongoing infrastructure challenges facing several major US airports as ageing facilities continue handling record passenger and flight volumes.
Airports across the United States are investing billions of dollars into runway upgrades, terminal expansions and broader infrastructure modernisation projects aimed at improving operational resilience and reducing disruption risks.
LaGuardia Airport itself has undergone a major multi-billion-dollar redevelopment programme in recent years designed to modernise terminals and passenger facilities.
