BEIJING – Chinese government officials have called in executives from seven major online travel booking companies to issue warnings about their use of automated ticket-purchasing systems, according to an announcement made Friday by the country’s Cyberspace Administration.
The travel platforms targeted in the crackdown include Trip.com, Meituan, Tongcheng, and Alibaba’s Fliggy service. Officials told these companies they are “prohibited from using automated programs to conduct large-scale, high-frequency ticket-snatching operations that interfere with the security verification measures” and disrupt the normal functioning of China’s official railway booking system called “12306.”
The issue has become particularly problematic as China’s rail system handles enormous passenger volumes, with more than 4.6 billion passenger journeys recorded in 2025. During busy travel seasons like the Lunar New Year holiday – considered the world’s largest annual mass migration – passengers often struggle to secure tickets through official channels and turn to third-party software that promises better odds of obtaining hard-to-get reservations.
