Sinkhole shuts runway at LaGuardia Airport, delaying flights

UNITED STATES, May 22 — A sinkhole at New York's LaGuardia Airport shut down a runway on Wednesday and is set to delay flights, local officials said. The Port Authority of New York & 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 shut down, and emergency construction and engineering crews are onsite to determine the cause and complete necessary repairs as quickly and safely as possible," the Port Authority said in a statement.

It said travelers should expect delays and cancellations, with thunderstorms expected also expected to roll in Wednesday. Air traffic controllers routinely slow down flights or halt departures altogether during bad weather. Weather was already delaying flights at all three major airports serving the New York City area and much of New Jersey, as well as in the Washington, D.

C. , area, the FAA said. The disruptions come ahead of the busy Memorial Day travel period, with the runway closure adding to headaches at one of the country's most congested airports.

About 20 Southwest Airlines arrivals will be delayed Wednesday, though weather is also playing a role, a spokesman said. Delta Air Lines said it has a weather waiver in place for flights in and out of New York City-area airports. Customers can rebook flights for no later than Sunday.

Other major carriers didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.