Alone and Helpless: Man Claims He Was Stranded At Moscow Airport, Indian Embassy Says Issue is Addressed

New Delhi: Sunil Gupta, an Indian engineer and social worker, took to social media on March 3, 2026, to describe what he called a nightmare at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after his Etihad Airways flight was suddenly cancelled. 

In a series of posts, Gupta wrote: “I’m completely stranded at Moscow airport… alone, helpless, and running out of hope. No one from @makemytripcare or @etihad is answering my desperate messages. Russia doesn’t accept Visa or Mastercard anymore. I have ZERO cash left. Not even for food or water.” 

He alleged that Etihad ground staff ignored him, saying they “literally turned their faces away” and told him to call customer care, which he said had been busy for hours. “I’m standing here like a beggar in my own nightmare,” he added, saying his family was waiting back home and he could not even tell them he was safe. 

Gupta explained that he had carried enough cash for his eight‑day trip, converting it into rubles, but the sudden cancellation left him without money on his final day. “Please don’t judge without knowing the full story. I don’t need approval, just some understanding,” he wrote. 

His posts quickly went viral, prompting responses from Indian authorities. The Ministry of Civil Aviation replied: “Inconvenience caused is deeply regretted, please share your PNR number, full name and phone number via direct message for resolving the issue.” The Indian Embassy in Moscow also posted its emergency contact number, urging Gupta to call. Gupta later tweeted back: “I was the one called you. Please follow back for DM.” 

When advised by another user to seek help at the airport information desk, Gupta responded that he had already spoken to them but remained stuck. He said the embassy had asked him to visit their office in the morning, but he could not afford to reach there. 

Hours later, the embassy confirmed: “Indian embassy in Moscow has reached out to the passenger and the issue has been addressed.” 

Gupta’s ordeal highlights how flight cancellations linked to Middle East tensions are leaving passengers stranded far from home, with little support from airlines or booking platforms. 

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