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LaGuardia Airport runway still closed due to sinkhole, reopening expected before Friday flights
By
Michael Sol Warren
Published May 21, 2026
Modified May 21, 2026
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Al Drago / Getty Images
By
Michael Sol Warren
Published May 21, 2026
Modified May 21, 2026
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LaGuardia Airport remained down a runway Thursday as emergency repairs continued on a sinkhole in the Queens airfield.
The airport’s Runway 4/22 was shut down Wednesday after workers found a sinkhole near it around 11 a.m., according to the Port Authority. The agency said it immediately closed the runway so that emergency repairs could be made.
Construction and engineering crews were still working to fix the sinkhole Thursday, Port Authority officials said. The runway is expected to reopen before flight operations Friday, officials added.
The Port Authority said flight delays were anticipated during the repairs, so travelers should check their flight status before heading to the airport.
The runway closure contributed to nearly 290 flights being cancelled and more than 310 delayed at LaGuardia on Wednesday, according to flight tracker FlightAware. Severe storms in the evening also disrupted the airport’s operations.
As of 11 a.m. Thursday, 40 flights were cancelled and almost 50 were delayed at the airport, FlightAware’s tracker showed.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Tagged
laguardia airport
new york city
queens
sinkhole
transportation
Michael Sol Warren
Michael Sol Warren covers New Jersey for WNYC and Gothamist, and previously reported on issues around the Garden State for NJ Spotlight News and NJ Advance Media. He can be reached at [email protected].
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