14/01/2018 We’re in the wastelands of January, where Britain collectively holds out for the next paycheck, the new year’s resolutions start to waiver and grey skies get us down. Why, even our good old British robins are deserting us for China, to the amusement of Chinese Brexit birdwatchers.
To help us through these dark times, I’ve kept the miserable news to a minimum, so no discussion of ‘you know what’ today.
Enjoy!
Banking highs and lows
It’s been a year since the launch of Open Banking. Despite a shaky start, more players have entered the market and 2019 should – in theory – mark the start of the new digital banking revolution. Meanwhile, on the high street, it’s a grim time for the big banks.
- Pessimism clouds UK banking as demand for services drops | Business | The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jan/14/pessimism-clouds-uk-banking-as-demand-drops
Those pesky kids
As well as being all snowflakey and vegan and stuff, the young people aren’t paying for motor insurance too! Well, the huge prices may have something to do with the half a million young drivers who are being priced off the roads.
Making your tuppence work for you
That Mary Poppins is back, posher than ever. Which got the BBC thinking: what if we followed the financial advice in the first film? What indeed…
Less brass first class pass
Awkward moments over at Cathay Pacific this morning as once again the airline sold tons of first-class airline tickets at coach prices yesterday. They’re honouring them (which BA didn’t do when they cocked up) so good on Cathay. It’s a good opportunity to dig out last year’s story about the time they spelt their name wrong on a plane though.
- Cathay Pacific sells first-class tickets at economy rates again.
- Cathay Pacific spells own name wrong on plane
The high cost of being flighty
If you don’t put your phone on airline mode, not only are you risking subjecting your fellow passengers to a firey death plunge (allegedly) you could also face hundreds of pounds in charges if your phone connects to the airline’s non-capped on-board systems.
…and finally…
You’re at the airport, you’ve got your boarding passes and you get on the plane. But there’s a space where your seats should be. Incredibly, this actually happened and a family had to sit on the floor during a TUI flight last year. We’ve spoken to Rip-off Britain about this for the new season. Tune in tomorrow.