PV Sindhu Stranded in Dubai Amid US-Israel Strikes on Iran

India’s double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu is among thousands of travelers currently stranded at Dubai International Airport (DXB) following a total suspension of flight operations on Saturday, February 28, 2026. The aviation gridlock was triggered by a dramatic escalation in Middle Eastern hostilities, as a joint military strike by the United States and Israel—codenamed “Operation Lion’s Roar”—targeted several Iranian cities, leading to the immediate closure of regional airspace.

According to reports from The Indian Express and India Today, Sindhu was in transit to Birmingham for the 2026 All England Open Badminton Championships, a Super 1000 event scheduled to begin on March 3. Accompanied by her personal team—including coach Irwansyah and her physiotherapist—Sindhu reached the Dubai hub just as the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) introduced an emergency closure of UAE airspace

The 2019 World Champion took to social media to document the unfolding chaos. In a series of Instagram stories and posts on X, Sindhu shared footage of overcrowded terminals and long queues, captioning the scenes with a stark message: “All flights suspended until further notice.” She later described the experience as “terrifying,” noting that travelers could hear the sounds of aerial interceptions from within the terminal.

The disruption has left flight corridors over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar virtually empty. While other Indian stars, including the world-ranked doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, managed to land in Birmingham just hours before the strikes commenced, Sindhu’s participation in the tournament now hangs in the balance

Reuters confirmed that Emirates, Air India, and Lufthansa have suspended all operations to and from Dubai through at least March 1, with some European carriers canceling flights as far out as March 7.

The Indian Embassy in the UAE has issued a travel advisory urging stranded passengers to remain vigilant and avoid traveling to the airport terminals until operations officially resume. Sindhu is reportedly being assisted by her team in securing accommodation while waiting for a window to exit the Gulf.