China’s New “No‑Flying” Rule: When Your Social Credit Score Catches Up With Your Ticket
Ever dreamed of soaring over the Ocean Sea and watching the sunset from a plane? Hang on, because by May 1 you might have to keep your feet on the ground—if you’ve been caught in a few of China’s most egregious “misbehaviour hacks.”
What the New Social Credit System Means for You
- Flight & Train Ban – Anyone deemed a problem‑maker could be barred from using domestic air or rail transport for up to a full year.
- Common Offenders – False chatter about terrorism, causing chaos on flights, selling expired tickets, or smoking on a train could land you on the restricted list.
- Financial Misdeeds – Employers who skip social‑insurance payments and individuals who dodge fines also face the same travel censure.
According to the National Development and Reform Commission, these rules are slated for May 1, in line with President Xi Jinping’s “once untrustworthy, always restricted” philosophy.
Why It Really Matters
While this may look like a bureaucratic snooze, it’s backed by a multi‑ministry push—sixteen departments, a top court, and the aviation regulator are all in the mix, pledging to share data and enforce the new standards.
Behind the Scene: A 2017 Sneak‑Peek
Back in early 2017, the Supreme People’s Court revealed that a staggering 6.15 million Chinese citizens had already been barred from flights for social missteps. The new framework is essentially putting that policy into action across all of China’s road, rail, and air travel.
Bottom line? Keep your credit tidy, stay on the right side of the law, and you’ll avoid the extra journey home—literal and figurative. Good luck paying those fines and, bless your soul, keep the airplane lights off when everyone is sleeping!
