China Warns Fliers Not to Open Window Shades on Planes to Take Photos

China’s top spy agency has issued a stern warning to air passengers, advising them not to open window shades during take-off and landing to take photos at airports with both civil and military uses.

This warning comes after an incident involving a foreigner who was caught snapping pictures with a mobile phone, as reported by local media.

The Ministry of State Security, in a post on its official WeChat account (similar to X), urged passengers to adhere to instructions to keep window shades closed during critical phases of flight at dual-use airports.

This advisory follows the circulation of an online video showing a foreigner allegedly taking illegal photographs at a military-civilian airport in China. The video drew significant public attention, prompting a vigilant passenger to report the incident.

Yiwu airport staff later confirmed that photographing the runway at a military-civilian airport is strictly prohibited and that the matter was reported to the police. The incident has since sparked widespread public discussion and debate, with the relevant Weibo post amassing over 85 million views.

Public reactions were mixed, with some netizens praising the passenger who reported the incident and others speculating that the foreigner might be a spy.

The ministry also highlighted a similar case at an unidentified airport in China’s southeastern coastal region. In this instance, a passenger named Liu opened the window shade during take-off to capture videos of the airport’s facilities, buildings, and military aircraft. Liu intended to post the content on social media for attention.

As a result, the plane was ordered to return to the airport, and only after authorities confirmed that no classified information had been leaked was it allowed to take off again. Liu was subsequently placed under administrative detention for seven days for disrupting the order of public transport.