China Bars Millions From Travel for ‘Social Credit’ Offenses

People check on travel packages offered by travel agencies during the Guangzhou International Travel Fair in Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong Province on March 3, 2018. Travelers in China were blocked from buying plane tickets 17.5 million times in 2018 as a penalty for failing to pay fines or other offenses, the Chinese regime reported this week on penalties imposed under a controversial "social credit" system. Chinatopix via AP

BEIJING—Forgot to pay a fine in China? Then forget about buying an airline ticket.

Would-be air travelers were blocked from buying tickets 17.5 million times last year under a controversial “social credit“ system the ruling Communist Party says will improve public behavior.