i want to pay cash

They do an authorisation only transaction on arrival.

I thought Barclaycard was the first credit card?

So did I at first...

"Jonathan Bryce" wrote

One I signed was just an authorisation for 0.01.

An authorisation must include an amount, because otherwise you aren't authorising anything, are you?

Do you apply this logic to blank cheques?

Matti

"Matti Lamprhey" wrote

I don't go around giving anyone blank cheques!

Anyway, what are the banks' views on "blank cheques"? They reckon you shouldn't write a cheque knowing that the amount won't be in your account when it comes for payment; so, in all cases when you don't know what amount will be showing when it is presented, you cannot sign it beforehand!

`terrorist' / `freedom fighter'

`investment' / `subsidy'

`government' / `regime'

Any others?

'international' / 'foreign'

Hmm... Awkward question was it?

Yes you can - but you meant "shouldn't", yes?

My recollection is that I took out a Barclaycard when they were first issued, c.1964, just to avoid the need for a large cash deposit when renting a car on visits to Northern Ireland.

Most of the vouchers I've been asked to sign on check-in at hotels are blank. As I understand it, the hotel requests an authorisation for an amount at least equal to what they expect I might spend on "extras" and then ask me to sign the voucher.

I know that's a bit like signing a blank cheque, and I've never really felt comfortable;e doing it, but seems that's what most hotels expect these days.

I'm surprised the credit card companies condone such procedures. Banks are always urging customers to make sure they fill in the amount on cheques they write, but apparently don't care so much when it comes to credit cards.

Chris

Barclaycard was launched in 1966.

And surely the OP who suggested that Barclaycard was 'the first credit card' was referring only to the UK?

Chris