Business
HDFC Bank Changes Lounge Access Norms For Debit Cards From January 10– Details Here
New Delhi: If you often use your HDFC Bank debit card for free airport lounge access, this update is important for you. The bank has changed how complimentary lounge entry works on its debit cards. Instead of simply swiping your card at the lounge, customers will now need a digital voucher to get access. Also, the minimum spending requirement has been increased, reported Moneycontrol. These new rules will come into effect from January 10, and will apply to eligible debit cardholders going forward.
How the New Lounge Voucher System Works
Once your eligibility is confirmed, HDFC Bank will send you an SMS or email with a link to claim your lounge access voucher. You’ll need to verify your request by entering an OTP sent to your registered mobile number. You will receive a voucher code or QR code after successful verification which must be shown at the airport lounge to get entry.
Minimum Spend Requirement Increased
Under the revised rules, HDFC Bank debit card users will now need to spend at least Rs 10,000 in a calendar quarter to be eligible for complimentary airport lounge access. Earlier, the minimum spend required was Rs 5,000.
However, this condition will not apply to HDFC Infiniti Debit Card holders. Customers using the Infiniti card will continue to enjoy free lounge access without any minimum spending requirement.
Eligible Transactions and Free Lounge Visits by Card Type
Only purchase transactions made using the debit card will be considered while calculating the quarterly spending requirement. Other types of transactions will not be counted, as noted by Moneycontrol.
Meanwhile, the number of complimentary lounge visits remains unchanged and continues to depend on the debit card variant:
Millennia Debit Card: 1 free visit per quarter
Platinum Debit Card: 2 free visits per quarter
Times Points Debit Card: 1 free visit per quarter
Business Debit Card: 2 free visits per quarter
GIGA Debit Card: 1 free visit per quarter
Infiniti Debit Card: 4 free visits per quarter
This means cardholders should check both their spending eligibility and card type to know how many lounge visits they can enjoy.
Which Transactions Count and Voucher Validity Explained
Only purchase transactions made using the debit card will be counted towards the quarterly spending requirement. As per Moneycontrol, the following transactions will not be included:
ATM cash withdrawals
UPI or wallet payments (GPay, PhonePe, Paytm, etc.)
Credit card bill payments made via debit card
Debit card EMI transactions
New debit cardholders will also need to meet the Rs 10,000 spending requirement to become eligible for complimentary lounge access.
Voucher Validity:
Once issued, the lounge access voucher will remain valid till the end of the next calendar quarter, after which it will expire if not used.
What This Means for Debit Card Users
With the updated lounge access rules, HDFC Bank is clearly encouraging higher card usage and digital verification. Customers who regularly use complimentary lounge benefits will now need to keep a close watch on their quarterly spending and complete the voucher process in advance. As per Moneycontrol, physical debit card swipes will no longer work from January 10, making it important for travellers to switch to the new digital voucher system.
Business
India-US trade: Exports rebound in November; supply-chain shifts and holiday restocking drive recovery, says GTRI – The Times of India
India’s exports to the US bounced back in November after two months of dip. The rebound was largely supported by supply-chain adjustments and pre-holiday season inventory restocking, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). This recovery came despite the US imposing 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods since August.
November India-US trade snapshot amid higher tariffs
- Exports to the US rose 22.61 per cent in November to $6.98 billion, reversing declines seen between May and September.
- Smartphones (largest export item): Exports fell from $2.29 billion in May to $884.6 million in September, before rising to $1.8 billion.
- Gems and jewellery: Slumped from $500.2 million in May to $202.8 million in September, then rebounded to $406.2 million.
- Machinery and mechanical appliances: Declined to $516.8 million in September, before nearly returning to peak levels at $614.6 million in November.
- Pharmaceuticals: Shipments rose to $669.2 million in November, but remained below May levels.
- Mineral fuels and oils (tariff-exempt): Fell from $291.5 million in May to $251.5 million in September, before climbing to $274.3 million.
GTRI said the rebound came after a sharp fall in exports earlier in the year, triggered by uncertainty surrounding impending tariff hikes. GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said US buyers initially delayed orders and ran down inventories. “Once the higher tariffs became certain, exporters and US buyers began adjusting, absorbing part of the cost, renegotiating prices, and shifting toward less-affected or hard-to-substitute products,” he said.However, the think tank also warned that this recovery might not last. They claimed that it was more about adjusting to tougher tariffs rather than a permanent improvement. The think tank also added that businesses were using short-term strategies to cope with the new trade environment.
A social action charity has welcomed the decision to increase the living wage in Jersey to £15.10 per hour in 2026.
The new rate was approved this week and will come into effect at the beginning of January.
The living wage is £1.51 higher than Jersey’s minimum wage which is set to increase to £13.59 per hour from April 2026.
Caritas Jersey CEO, Patrick Lynch, said the living wage was the minimum islanders needed “in order to thrive, and not just survive here in Jersey”.
Mr Lynch said: “This will be good news for many at accredited organisations and their subcontractors, ahead of the new year, when many people will have increased rental costs and also face increases in the cost of some utilities and other day to day expenses.
“The Jersey Living Wage has never been as important as it is now for so many people with poverty unfortunately still increasing and a continued rise in food bank usage in our island.
“Putting that in perspective, in February 2022 one food bank was seeing 195 families; that figure has now risen to over 640 families.
“The majority of the people who form this increase are people in work, on minimum or low wages.”
He added the differential between the minimum wage and the Jersey Living Wage “remained worryingly high” and something “Assembly members should ponder as they debate the budget this week and look ahead to next June’s general election”.
Michael RaceBusiness reporter
BBCSixes, the cricket-themed social chain backed by England captain Ben Stokes, has gone into administration following a “challenging trading period”.
All of the company’s 15 UK-based venues remain open, but one branch in Southampton has closed following the decision, with three staff members losing their jobs.
Administrators FRP Advisory said talks were under way with a “number of interested parties” about a sale for the business and its strongest-performing sites, suggesting some other closures could happen.
Tony Wright, joint administrator, said the priority was to “secure the best outcome for the business” while honouring customer bookings “through the Christmas period and beyond”.
Sixes, which was launched in 2020, is a chain that combines hospitality with cricket. It hosts parties in which people face bowling machines and try to score as many runs as possible.
It is part of a similar social entertainment approach offered by rivals including Flight Club and Boom Battle Bar, and is backed in part by 4Cast, an investment group founded by Stokes, current and former England bowlers Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad, and former player turned agent Mike Turns.
Sixes entered administration last week, before England lost the Ashes following defeat in the third test match against Australia in Adelaide.
It is not known how big a share 4Cast, which injected cash back in 2023, has in Sixes. The BBC has contacted 4Cast for comment.
FRP Advisory said while the business had a “core of strongly performing sites, others have struggled”, amid “fierce competition for experiential venues and reduced consumer spending due to economic uncertainty”.
It said besides the Southampton branch which had closed, its remaining venues and franchises would remain open and all bookings would be honoured through the festive period.
The main job of administration is to try to save the company.
When businesses are losing money, they may borrow some to pay bills, however, if a company cannot pay its debts or borrow any more cash, a team may be brought in to take over from the management and sort out the finances – the process known as administration.
If a business cannot be saved, the company’s belongings may be sold so that some of the borrowed money can be repaid, which is known as liquidation.
The hospitality industry has raised concerns over higher costs facing firms, including business rates and minimum wages, arguing it could lead to jobs losses and businesses folding.
Mr Wright said Sixes had “built a strong brand in the social entertainment space with its unique venues proving very popular with customers”.
“While some locations have struggled in an increasingly competitive market, the business has significant potential, and we’re encouraged by the early interest we’ve received from parties interested in acquiring the brand and its strongest-performing sites,” he added.
“We’re confident that with the right investment and focus, Sixes can build on its core strengths.”
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