Planes are seen on the runway at LaGuardia Airport amid massive travel delays, March 28, 2026 in New York, New York.
Ryan Murphy | Getty Images
A sinkhole at New York’s LaGuardia Airport closed a runway Wednesday and is expected to delay flights, local officials said.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it was conducting a daily inspection of the airfield earlier Wednesday when “crews identified a sinkhole near Runway 4/22.”
“The runway was immediately closed and emergency construction and engineering crews are on scene to determine the cause and make necessary repairs as quickly and safely as possible,” the Port Authority said in a statement.
He said travelers should expect delays and cancellations, and thunderstorms are also expected on Wednesday. Air traffic controllers regularly slow flights or stop departures altogether in bad weather.
The weather was already delaying flights at the three major airports serving the New York area and much of New Jersey, as well as the Washington, D.C., area, the FAA said.
The disruptions come ahead of the busy Memorial Day travel period, with runway closures adding to headaches at one of the nation’s most congested airports.
About 20 Southwest Airlines arrivals will be delayed on Wednesday, although weather also plays a role, a spokesperson said. Delta Airlines said it has implemented a weather waiver for flights to and from New York area airports. Customers can rebook their flights no later than Sunday. Other major carriers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.