The discovery of the sinkhole near the runway at LaGuardia Airport resulted in extensive travel disruption on Wednesday due to the shutting down of activities in the area by the concerned authorities.
The crater was found at around 11 am while conducting normal inspections in the area of Runway 4/22, which is one of the main runways at the airport.
Consequently, all activities related to the runway had to be stopped and engineers as well as machinery, including excavators, were brought to the site to carry out their assessment work.
Also Read | One layoff, 60 days to survive: The new fear for Indians in the US
‘There is a sinkhole’
The incident quickly drew attention after air traffic control audio obtained by CBS News captured the moment pilots were informed about the sudden disruption.
“Ground, what happened to Runway 4/22?” an inbound pilot asked air traffic control.
“There is a sinkhole,” the controller responded.
When the pilot asked whether the issue was linked to ongoing construction work, the controller replied, “I think that’s safe to assume that. Looks like they’ve got equipment out there now.”
A sinkhole at LaGuardia Airport shuts down the same runway where Air Canada flight AC8646 collided with a fire truck on 22 March 2026.
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) May 20, 2026
The sinkhole was discovered near Runway 4/22 during a routine morning inspection by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey forcing a… pic.twitter.com/xRVMaeJy6z
The exchange rapidly spread online as videos emerged showing repair crews and construction vehicles working around the damaged section of the runway.
Storm warnings worsen the disruption
Airport officials later issued a travel advisory through social media platform X, warning passengers about delays and operational disruptions.
“Weather conditions have caused LGA Airport flight disruptions,” the advisory stated, asking travellers to verify flight schedules directly with airlines.
At approximately 11 a.m., the Port Authority was conducting its daily morning inspection of LaGuardia’s airfield when crews identified a sinkhole near Runway 4/22. The runway was immediately shut down, and emergency construction and engineering crews are onsite to determine the…
— LaGuardia Airport (@LGAairport) May 20, 2026
The situation became more complicated as severe thunderstorm forecasts for the New York metropolitan region threatened to create additional delays throughout the day.
According to reports cited by Financial Express, the Federal Aviation Administration reported baseline arrival delays of nearly 90 minutes by Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, NBC New York reported that the closure of Runway 4/22 has been extended through Thursday morning as emergency repair work continues.
Also Read | F-35s, Reaper drones and fighter jets: How did the US lose dozens of aircraft in the Iran conflict?
Pressure on one of America’s busiest airports
LaGuardia remains one of the busiest airports in the United States, handling a massive volume of domestic flights daily. Even temporary runway closures often create ripple effects across airline schedules nationwide.
Authorities have not officially confirmed the exact cause of the sinkhole yet, though conversations captured in air traffic audio suggested it may have been linked to nearby construction activity.
No injuries were reported in the incident, but the disruption once again highlighted how quickly infrastructure failures and weather events can paralyse operations at major global airports.
