Devdeep

Dear Indian parents, please teach some basic civic sense to your kids instead of hiding under the guise of, “He’s just 6 years old.” Story time: On my flight from Phu Quoc to Da Nang, two kids were seated behind me. They were super noisy and constantly kicking my seat. I politely asked them to stop three times. The fourth time, I had to get up, turn around, and call out their parents. Instead of being remorseful, they started defending their kids. Mom: “They are on their third flight.” “They are just 6 years old.” I replied, “How is that my problem? You need to teach them how to behave in shared public spaces or atleast take care when you can clearly see what they are doing.” Dad: “If you have any issues, please talk to the cabin crew. Take business class next time.” Mom: “When you have kids, you will understand.” Actions like these are part of why Indians often face racism abroad. It’s not all Indians but it only takes a few to damage our reputation and become a global embarrassment.

Terrible state of affairs at Malatipatpur railway station. Apparently Puri bound trains have been stopped here and the rest of the journey to Puri need to be completed in buses. And the buses given? Horrible. Passengers with luggage have no where to go. Can’t place the luggage in the upper cabins nor under the seat. If kept in passageway people can’t even walk. @RailwaySeva @RailMinIndia @RailMadad @serailwaykol

@SomChaterji @TorqueIndia If you had to choose one between the two, for people seeking a 5 seater SUV, considering safety, comfort, driving dynamics, leg room in back row, which one would you choose? And if one has certain distinct advantages over the other, what would that be? Many thanks in advance!

Driving two new petrol AT SUVs in the coming days! Do let me know what you want to know!

No one who hasn't been a goalkeeper can understand how difficult it is to play in this position. Keep your head up and you will go again.

It’s such a shame that instead of trying to service better, @HSBC_IN partner @ecosmobility are trying to defend and deflect by doing fake PR HSBC needs to get its house in order, may be even change such good-for-nothing partners, before its reputation is further damaged

@Cardhacks4rme Exactly there was no need of this gimmick. The existing t&c were good enough. If you are offering something new, at least make sure it works!

They haven’t replied to my email yet. I think we need to book the airport taxi one quarter in advance 😂 But on a serious note - HSBC is destroying its reputation. Travel One card is so good, but this marketing gimmick will hurt HSBC really bad.

@milesmintIN It’s a shame people have to go through so many hoops to get a service which the back themselves advertised

I faced a similar issue earlier. Initially, they denied the taxi benefit, but after a detailed discussion, they arranged it. Make sure you clearly tell them: • The taxi service is not on a first-come-first-serve basis as per the T&C. • If the benefit is mentioned in the terms, it must be honoured. Escalate politely but firmly. Once they realise you understand the terms, they usually resolve it.

@jassneetsingha Interestingly, i don’t even think this was even a drawing factor to get new customers in Their cashback on spending criteria- which got extended till June- 0 forex etc makes more sense And am sure got more customers in than this gimmick

HSBC be like... Let's add a feature... Let's sell more cards... We'll figure out the logistics later.

@RajatJ51226 @jatinsapra @HSBC_IN It’s a blanket unavailability on all dates everywhere

@jatinsapra @devdeep_d @HSBC_IN Not to mention, i have 4 flights coming in within 20 days. I even said select one date of your choice and give me this service on any date of your choosing 😅 Looks like the tieup between hsbc and ecomobility has fallen through due to low rate negotiation between these two.

I think it’s a gimmick from @HSBC_IN Mailed Eco Mobility on 19th February regarding a transfer in the later part of March (more than a month later) Got the response- after multiple follow ups - that there’s no vehicle available

@ankitdewan @docjogi @HSBC_IN 💯 🎯

@docjogi @HSBC_IN My prediction: We are sold out.

HSBC TravelOne's airport transfer service does not have vehicle availability even for 1 month later. And they hardly respond to your emails. Phone numbers are as good as non-existent. While T1 remains a great card, forget about this service. Seems it was a marketing gimmick.

@HSBC_IN Hey @HSBC_IN the Eco Mobility contact number is almost always busy. And by miracle if I get through, no one answers the call. Please fix this mess.

@devdeep_d Hi Devdeep, we apologize for your inconvenience caused. It will help us assist you better if you connect with us via phone banking services on grp.hsbc/6183HkuML which is prompt and secure. Our team will be more than happy to assist you! ^Ali twitter.com/messages/compo…

@outofofficedaku Well explained and a very balanced take on the whole fiasco :)

Sharing my thoughts on the video of Sachin Awasti getting detained entry at Jeju Island and being sent back to India As a traveler please know all the rules and regulations when you're visiting such as special zones etc which have Visa Free Arrangements. In this case Jeju, which is a Special Self-Governing Province. Also know how powerful is our passport in terms of getting entry + how well traveled + which strong visas you have on your passport. You can make your Indian passport stronger by having some strong visas on it. How much support would you get from the local Embassy in case of any issues etc. Post which decide if it's worth the risk of going with VOA/Visa Free etc to such countries or going via the safe route of applying for a visa beforehand. Documentation also plays a major role. With countries offering VOA/Visa Free they also need to be carrying all of the mandatory docs & bookings. Georgia is another country which does this with Indian Passport Holders. So many articles and news of Indians denied entry but still travelers plan their trips. Basically know the risks etc and check all requirements etc. You cannot change the way the world operates or how they treat a certain country's passport holders but to avoid it or can change/make plans accordingly. As for the airlines, it's their responsibility to get you back to your home country, and yes they will keep watch till you till you land back in the home country. Airlines asking such cash requests is uncommon, but then they too would be doing their checks as instructed for the passenger to not be denied entry. Reminds me of my land border crossing in the Balkans. Officers come on board the bus. They take passports from all passengers and then go back to the office to get them stamped. We also had a Japanese Citizen with us on board. One of the most powerful passports in the world. I know a few immigration officers mention we don't even check entry exit stamps if we see a Japan passport, as literally the passport has VOA to most countries in the world. They came back to this traveler with show us the exit stamp from the last time you were in Kosovo. As he didn't need to keep track of stamps, he couldn't find one. I literally saw the officer flipping his passport and they were filled with stamps and you needed to keep marking in case wanted to identify any one entry. Why? Read below and have explained. Traveller was chill about it and said "Japanese passport, don't need visa etc" The officer replied with " This passport maybe the most powerful in the world but not here in my country." Finally, he was taken off the bus and also his bags were offloaded. All they said to the driver and the passenger next to me translated was they'll check and let him go later. We all got back our stamped passports. Context: If you're planning to visit Serbia and Kosovo make sure you enter from Serbia first and then Kosovo. Reason been Serbia doesn't consider Kosovo as a separate country and Kosovo considers it as a separate country. So when you cross the land border from Serbia to Kosovo they don't stamp an exit stamp as they consider it part of their country. Now when you enter Kosovo which thinks itself as an independent country will stamp an entry stamp and also stamp your passport on exit. So on your passport, you have never exited Serbia. I still don't have an exit stamp of Serbia but have the entry and exit from Kosovo. Now if you are doing the reverse then you may face some heat from the Serbian Visa officials as Kosovo would have already stamped your passport. So good to avoid doing it and do it with Serbia first and then Kosovo. Documented the same here for all to benefit and know this when planning to travel to the Balkans to avoid unnecessary issues: x.com/outofofficedak… I had visited Seychelles and not booked hotels as the local business man had offered his home for me to stay for free. At immigration I did explain to the officer the same but still he insisted to see proof I had ample funds etc. I remember having shown him my bank statement after logging it on his computer. He even called the local person. Had I taken the stay bookings as required nothing would be asked. While some countries may show VOA/Visa Free, do your own due diligence and check the risks before making plans. And if going with spouse/kids to such countries do 2X of the checks.

@Santosh_9901 @YourCardJourney @BachatXpert x.com/devdeep_d/stat…

@YourCardJourney @BachatXpert @devdeep_d Pls share ur itinerary

Checked into Tapovana The Fern Sakleshpur today.. Revenue rates - ~INR 12-14K + Taxes Had initially booked it on 2nd Feb for 20K points for 2 nights but then rebooked it 3 days back for 17.5K points..( 8.7K/night) Some weekdays its available for even 6.5K points as well. #Ccgeeks reach wherever value is there😁

@YourCardJourney @BachatXpert Hey @YourCardJourney I jotted down the points in a review thread Give it a read :)

@BachatXpert @devdeep_d @BachatXpert please help to share your insights on how we can plan an itinerary for 3 days? Is it fully a staycation like vibe?

If you’re looking for a weekend getaway, or just a break from city chaos near Bangalore, Sakleshpur and this resort are definitely worth considering. 🌿 Happy travels!

Last but not the least- Huge appreciation for the staff who made the stay special: Rajesh, Anchal, Salma (Front Office), Amit, Manas, Rajan & Jayanti (Restaurant), and Sumit (Activities). Special mention: Jayanti’s efficiency stood out.

There have been many recent posts about a Marriott property in the South West Indian hills offering crazy value for Marriott Bonvoy points. I just got back from a beautiful anniversary trip to Sakleshpur with my wife, and I thought I’d share a detailed thread for anyone planning a relaxed hill-country getaway near Bangalore. 🧵