Sinkhole causes delays at LaGuardia Airport for 3rd day

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]A St. Hall is causing delays at LaGuardia for a third day hampering Memorial Day weekend travel plans.

[00:00:05]>> Ali Bowman is at the airport now with the latest timeline on repairs. The runway was initially supposed to be back open yesterday, but now the Port Authority says crews found areas of concern, so it won't be back in service until 6:00 a.m. Saturday. Crews continued to fix the sinkhole near LaGuardia's runway Friday, one of just two runways at the international airport. So, its closure is creating a domino effect of delays.

[00:00:32]>> We are going to surprise his brother who just retired.

[00:00:35]>> But the Edwards are getting a late start to their Memorial Day weekend. What's the status of your flight?

[00:00:39]>> 2 hours late, so we'll miss the exciting dinner surprise.

[00:00:43]>> You're a surprise?

[00:00:44]>> No, we now we have to make a new one.

[00:00:46]>> Crews discovered the sinkhole during a routine inspection Wednesday morning.

[00:00:50]That's when Sariah Taylor was supposed to fly in from Phoenix.

[00:00:54]>> On the way here was crazy. We had two delays, a cancellation. She thought the runway would have been reopened for her flight home today.

[00:01:01]>> It's delayed, but it's less delayed than it was.

[00:01:04]>> The Port Authority says during investigatory inspections of the airfield Thursday using ground penetrating radar, possible areas of concern were identified and proactively repaired. So to be safe, engineers are conducting even more inspections, which will keep the runway closed until Saturday. So LaGuardia was built on a landfill. Does that possibly contribute to the sinkhole?

[00:01:27]Um it can >> bulis Marcos is a research fellow in geotechnical engineering at NYU >> because um a field soil is not always like uh it doesn't have the same strength like the naturally deposed soil that's already there. So of course it can be a reason. Port Authority sources tell CBS News New York that investigators are looking into several possible causes of the sinkhole, including a nearby fuel line tunneling project in East Elmherst, Queens. Alli Bowman, CBS News New York.

[00:01:59]>> And we'll keep you updated on the runway repairs and how they're going at LaGuardia, as well as any other travel concerns across the country. Please stay with CBS News New York for updates on air and