India’s star shuttler PV Sindhu was left stranded at the Dubai airport after operations were suspended following the United States and Israel’s missile strikes on Iran, casting a shadow over her preparations for one of badminton’s most prestigious events.
Sindhu was on her way to Birmingham for the All England Open, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, with Dubai as her connecting point. But the escalating conflict in the region has brought one of the world’s busiest transport hubs to a complete standstill, leaving thousands of passengers – including a two-time Olympic medalist – with no clear way forward.
Sindhu took to Instagram to document the scenes unfolding around her at the airport, captioning her video with a stark message: “All flights suspended until further notice.” The post quickly attracted widespread attention and highlighted the human impact of the conflict, which sent shockwaves far beyond the battlefield. PV Sindhu stranded at Dubai airport. (Image: Instagram Story/ PV Sindhu)
DUBAI AIRPORTS ARE STOPPING
According to Reuters, Dubai Airports confirmed that all flights at Dubai International Airport, which handled nearly 100 million passengers last year, as well as at the smaller Al Maktoum International Airport, were suspended until further notice and urged passengers not to travel to the airport.
Dubai-based carrier Emirates has confirmed it has temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai due to multiple regional airspace closures. Its sister airline flydubai followed suit and also halted operations completely. Meanwhile, Etihad Airways said all flights scheduled to depart from Abu Dhabi were suspended until 1000 GMT on Sunday, with arrivals expected before that time also cancelled.
The scope of the breach is huge. With Gulf airports serving as critical transit points for travelers across Asia, Europe and beyond, the knock-on effect on international travel has been swift and far-reaching. Airlines have urged affected passengers to keep a close eye on their flight status and check to see if rebooking is possible before traveling to any airport in the region.
INDIAN BASKETBALL TEAM CLOSED IN DOHA
The conflict also left other Indian sports contingents in the region. The Basketball Federation of India has confirmed via X that the Indian senior national basketball team is currently stuck in Doha, Qatar following their match in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers. BFI confirms players are safe in Doha. (Image: BFI)
The All England Open, one of the most famous and famous badminton tournaments, is scheduled to start on March 3.
As the situation in the Middle East continues to rapidly evolve, it remains deeply uncertain whether Sindhu and other affected athletes will be able to reach their destination in time.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
28 Feb 2026 22:14 IST
