Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, en route to the prestigious All England Open, was on Saturday left stranded at the Dubai airport after flight operations were suspended owing to escalating tensions between Iran and US-Israel.
The tournament is scheduled to start next Tuesday.
Sindhu put up a video on her Instagram story, showing a crowded airport as people waited for an update from the authorities, with the caption, ‘All flights suspended until further notice.’
The military strikes have led to a closure of airspace in the Gulf region and caused disruption to several flights, including those of Emirates and Air India.
After the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, the latter’s Revolutionary Guard launched counterattacks, firing drones and missiles at Israel and strikes aimed at U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.
Sindhu later put out a statement on social media, saying, “To everyone who has been messaging and checking in, thank you, it truly means a lot. I am safe right now, stuck here in Dubai with my team, and we are doing okay as the situation around the war with Iran continues to evolve. The Airport is chaotic, with many families stranded and waiting, all of us just hoping we get past this soon.”
READ: ICC activates contingency plans amid tensions in Middle East
She added: “It’s hard to process what’s unfolding right now. Hearing the interceptions overhead and seeing how quickly everything has escalated is honestly terrifying. So many disturbing videos are coming to light, and this is sadly the reality of what is happening. Dubai is a city I deeply love, a place that has always felt safe and full of life, which makes this moment even harder to comprehend… Moments like these remind you how fragile normal life really is. Praying for safety and peace for everyone affected.”
The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, however, have reached Birmingham. Chirag uploaded a story on Instagram, saying, “Safely landed in Birmingham before US struck Iran.” Doubles coach Tan Kim Her and shuttler Dhruv Kapila could also be seen in the background of the video, which had Chirag taking a stroll in the West Midlands.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, in the meantime, has issued an urgent safety advisory valid until March 2 for all airlines to avoid the countries of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman.
Published on Feb 28, 2026
