Star Indian badminton player PV Sindhu is stranded at Dubai airport after flights were suspended following missile strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran. She was travelling to Birmingham for the All England Open, which begins on Tuesday.
Sindhu was in transit through Dubai when airport operations were halted. The sudden suspension left thousands of passengers stuck, including the two-time Olympic medallist, India Today reported.
She shared a video from the airport on Instagram, writing: "All flights suspended until further notice." The post drew wide attention as travel across the Gulf region came to a standstill.
Dubai airports suspend operations
According to Reuters, Dubai Airports confirmed that operations at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport were suspended until further notice. Passengers were advised not to travel to the airport.
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Emirates temporarily halted flights to and from Dubai due to regional airspace closures. Flydubai also suspended its services. Etihad Airways said departures from Abu Dhabi were paused until 1000 GMT on Sunday, and certain arrivals were cancelled, as per India Today.
Dubai International handled nearly 100 million passengers last year. As a major global transit hub, disruptions there have had immediate international impact.
Indian basketball team also affected
The travel chaos has affected more than one Indian sporting group. The Basketball Federation of India said the Indian Senior Men's National Basketball Team is stranded in Doha after playing in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
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The All England Open, one of badminton's most prestigious tournaments, is scheduled to start on March 3 in Birmingham.
With the regional situation still evolving, it remains unclear when regular flight operations will resume and whether Sindhu and other athletes will reach their destinations in time.
