Bollywood actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood stepped up to support thousands of travelers currently stranded at Dubai International Airport. Following a video released this Thursday, Sood, along with Dugasta Properties leadership, announced that they would provide no-fee hotel accommodation to anyone caught up in the region’s aviation crisis, unconditionally.
A Crisis in the Skies
The offer arrives as the UAE’s aviation sector grapples with unprecedented disruptions in the wake of Iranian retaliation strikes that targeted key Gulf hubs earlier this week. Though Dubai Airports confirmed minor structural damage to a concourse at DXB, the resulting airspace closures and security protocols have resulted in more than 23,000 flight cancellations throughout the Middle East.
In an announcement on March 7, Emirates, the largest international airline in the world, said it would extend its flight suspension, leaving tens of thousands of international passengers in a logistical limb. Even as UAE authorities and airlines have scrambled to offer meals and hotel vouchers to over 20,000 travelers, the scale of the displacement has left many still looking for shelter, according to the release.
War has left many travelers stranded in Dubai.
— sonu sood (@SonuSood) March 5, 2026
If you or someone you know has nowhere to stay, we are offering safe accommodation free of cost.
No nationality. No conditions. Just humanity.
DM us on Instagram if you need help.
@dugastaproperties
Please share so this reaches… pic.twitter.com/TDDr9st79M
The “No-Conditions” Gesture
As the ambassador for the Dubai-based Dugasta Properties, Sonu Sood declared this initiative is designed to quickly deliver relief while avoiding red tape that airlines face when rebooking. “I have seen these images of families and students who are stranded at the terminals. Thanks to my partnership with Dugasta, we want to help everyone in need have a roof over their heads until the skies are safe again,” Sood said in the video.
Dugasta Properties is currently managing a multi-billion dirham portfolio and has reportedly opened many of its residential and hospitality units in response to passenger volumes. This is similar to Sood’s “Ghar Bhejo” in 2020, an effort to facilitate the travel of millions of migrant workers in India.
Mixed Global Reaction
The declaration has led to an outpouring of activity online; the hashtag #SonuSoodDubai has gone viral on social media.
- Praise: Supporters have called the actor a “global hero,” noting his capacity to use corporate partnerships for fast humanitarian relief.
- Skepticism: A few locals and critics have questioned the need for private intervention, contending that the UAE Government and others such as Red Crescent already have a robust support structure in place for the stranded. Criticisms might argue that the move would constitute a strategic PR alignment for the real estate developer amid the crisis.
Either way, for the thousands of travelers who currently sleep on terminal floors, the offer is a desperately needed lifeline. Special relief flights from India and France, by Thursday morning, were starting to slowly evacuate the citizens, but for the rest, Sood’s “masterpiece of modern living” projects are for now “a modern sanctuary,” it says.
