Two-time Olympic medallist shuttler P. V. Sindhu has been stranded at Dubai International Airport after flight operations were temporarily suspended following missile strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran amid escalating tensions in West Asia.
Sindhu was travelling to Birmingham to participate in the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships, scheduled to commence on March 3, with Dubai serving as her transit stop.
However, the rapidly evolving security situation in the region led to disruptions at one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs, halting both departures and arrivals and leaving several passengers stranded.
Sharing visuals from the airport on Instagram, Sindhu highlighted the uncertainty faced by travellers, posting a video showing crowded terminals and captioning it: “All flights suspended until further notice.”
It remains unclear whether the Indian badminton star will be able to reach Birmingham in time for the tournament, regarded as one of the oldest and most prestigious events on the global badminton calendar.
The disruption comes as multiple international airlines review flight routes and airspace usage amid heightened geopolitical tensions affecting aviation operations across the Middle East.