LaGuardia Airport temporarily closed Runway 4/22 on June 17 at 5 p.m. after discovering a two-inch (about 5 cm) deep pavement depression adjacent to the runway during an airfield inspection. Airport officials described the closure as a precaution made out of an "abundance of caution," emphasizing that the issue posed no immediate safety risk [1, 2, 3, 4].
Flights were rerouted to LaGuardia's other main runway, 13/31, during the closure. This caused delays affecting 174 flights, with an average arrival delay of 48 minutes on June 17 [1, 2, 4]. Overnight inspections and repair work ensured the runway met safety standards, allowing it to reopen around 6:30 a.m. on June 18 [1, 2, 4]. The airport stated, "Our goal is to complete the assessment and any necessary repair work overnight and return the runway to service as soon as it is safe to do so" [4].
This marks the second time in less than a month that Runway 4/22 was shuttered due to pavement problems in the same area. In late May, just before Memorial Day, a sinkhole forced a two-day closure that triggered hundreds of flight delays and cancellations during a busy travel period [1, 2, 3, 4].
Geotechnical experts and engineers are investigating both the recent pavement depression and the prior sinkhole. Continuous monitoring of the area will continue to ensure flight safety, according to airport officials [1, 2].
The next update from LaGuardia on the investigation or any further repair schedules has not yet been announced.
