sinkhole shuts – A sinkhole near Runway 4/22 forced an immediate runway shutdown at LaGuardia Airport on May 20, triggering delays and cancellations while crews assess the cause and repair the damage. Severe weather—under a thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m. ET—may further disrup
A sinkhole swallowing part of the runway at LaGuardia Airport turned a normal afternoon into a scramble for travelers.
Local authorities said the disruption began on May 20. when the runway was shut down after a morning inspection turned up the problem near Runway 4/22. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey crews had been conducting their daily inspection of the airfield. the airport said in a statement posted to social media shortly after 2 p.m. EDT.
The airport said the runway was immediately closed and that emergency construction crews were on site to determine the cause of the sinkhole and make repairs. With travel plans already set for the evening rush. the airport warned passengers to expect delays and cancellations. especially as thunderstorms were forecast later in the day.
Queens, where LaGuardia is located, remained under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m. ET, according to the National Weather Service.
Airline and airport disruptions often come with mixed signals—weather and infrastructure repairs can move on different timetables. but passengers feel them as one continuous delay. Southwest Airlines’ spokesperson Lynn Lunsford said in an email that about 20 flights were delayed as repairs were being made. She also said the weather in the area made it “impossible to attribute delays to a single cause.”.
As the runway work continued, Delta Air Lines issued a booking waiver covering flights in and out of New York City area airports, according to a report from CNBC.
The immediate shutdown and the storm forecast set the clock running on both fronts: crews trying to get the runway back online, and airlines managing disruption while severe weather sits over Queens through the evening.
LaGuardia Airport sinkhole runway closure delays May 20 Port Authority severe thunderstorm watch Southwest Airlines Delta booking waiver