The runway at LaGuardia Airport in Queens where a sinkhole was discovered Wednesday is projected to reopen around noon Thursday.
That’s the earliest it will be back in business, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which has jurisdiction over the airport, told Gothamist.
“That sounds crazy. I hope they get this fixed soon. We don’t know what to do,” traveler Rohan Nepal told cable news channel NY1.
Initially, the Federal Aviation Administration said the affected runway would be closed through at least 6 a.m. Thursday, according to ABC News.
Port Authority crews inspecting the runway discovered the sinkhole at around 11 a.m. Wednesday, per a post from the LaGuardia Airport account on X.
Authorities have not disclosed what caused the sinkhole.
The runway is one of two used for takeoffs and landings, along with runway 13/31, according to New York’s WCBS-TV. Due to the sinkhole, runway 13/31 has been handling all takeoff and landing traffic for the airport.
Airport officials said that, between the closed runway and weather-related issues, travelers should expect delays.
On Wednesday, 321 flights were delayed and 288 flights canceled at LaGuardia. As of 10:10 a.m. Thursday, 46 flights were delayed and 34 flights canceled.
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