IHG Rewards Club adds an extra Accelerate promotion target

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• Sam says:

  14 Jun14 June 06:23

  Very OT – does anybody have any advice (other than don’t do it) about flying/travelling with a baby? We’ll be taking our daughter (who will be just shy of 6 months) to Alicante for a wedding?

  Any particular carriers more accommodating than others (not that I have a huge amount of choice)?

  • Mike G says:

    14 Jun14 June 06:28

    Take a cheap buggy that you don’t mind chucking away at the end of the trip. We had several buggies destroyed by luggage handlers.

    • Mr. AC says:

      14 Jun14 June 06:53

      Or take a YoYo – it can be taken as hand luggage and stowed in the bins overhead when fully collapsed, at least on BA (assuming flight not being busy or you being in business class). Try to have a feed or sleep after/during takeoff and climb, and definitely a feed during descent when the pressure is changing. Many Android smartphones have a pressure sensor – try installing “GPS status & toolbox” app from EclipSim.

      • Gringo says:

        14 Jun14 June 10:01

        +1 on the YoYo, it’s a game changer!
        Otherwise I couldn’t recommend more a baby carrier for the airport, it makes you handsfree and speeds everything up

      • Scallder says:

        14 Jun14 June 16:47

        Joie Pact Lite can be taken on a plane too which is what we’ve done. Best purchase (along with a Snoozeshade) we’ve made in terms of anything we’ve bought in relation to our daughter

  • Shoestring says:

    14 Jun14 June 06:54

    All carriers are perfectly welcoming of babies – it’s nasty fellow passengers you need to ignore. Obvs a 6 month old has a perfect right to travel on public transport, so go with the attitude that people with a nasty attitude to babies crying have got a personality disorder, ie ignore them. Babies cry for all sorts of reasons on a plane, not a lot you can do about it. But be prepared at least with food, drink, distractions so that people can see you doing something about the crying. Don’t worry ahead of time – most people are absolutely fine about a crying baby.

    • Andy says:

      14 Jun14 June 07:47

      shoestring ! So right !

    • TGLoyalty says:

      14 Jun14 June 08:34

      Completely agree. Was once on a flight with a crying baby which some idiot felt he just had to keep complaining about. You can guess which one was actually pissing off everyone around him. Not the baby!

    • Bagoly says:

      14 Jun14 June 09:28

      Agreed – the two sets of people who cause stress are those who assume that babies will always be quiet and parents who don’t care.
      If a parent is trying, but baby is still noisy, then that’s one of life’s imperfections.
      And many fellow passengers will have been in that situation themselves.
      “Sorry about this noise” with reply “I understand” makes everybody less stressed (and that may even rub off on the baby)

      Just don’t copy some Americans who change the nappy on the seat tray table!

      I’m rather less understanding of children kicking my seat from behind.

      It’s also not unreasonable for people sat next to a crying baby/restless toddler to want to move elsewhere.
      If the cabin is not full, then a friendly demeanour and cooperation from requestor, Flight Attendants, person who will no longer have empty seat next to them, and parent who may have to temporarily move out of the way, reduce everybody’s stress.

      • Lady London says:

        14 Jun14 June 13:17

        +1.. I hate crying babies or unruly children whose parents have just switched off same as at home and simply don’t take into account the fact that their child is impacting other people in a cramped environment everybody there is imprisoned in. American parents seem particularly more likely to think they’re harming their child’s development and rights to open expression if they try to reduce impact on others.

        All is forgiven, though, as Shoestring advises, if we can see the parent is at least trying but the child is just having a bad day or unwell. In that case everyone knows most of us have been there. And some of us have been that child too! Seat kicking should not be accepted but otherwise when they can see efforts are being made most people will offer to help if nearby and otherwise feel sorry for the parent and just ignore as far as possible.

  • Anna says:

    14 Jun14 June 07:14

    At that age they are relatively easy as they are not yet mobile – it’s when they are toddling and don’t want to sit in their seat that it becomes a bit of a headache! Alicante is quite a short flight so by the time you’ve done the usual feed/change activities you’ll be nearly there. I fully agree on timing a feed during take off and landing as this eases the pressure in their ears so they are not as uncomfortable. I always feel really sorry for so babies on planes who are obviously in pain but can’t understand why!

    • Scallder says:

      14 Jun14 June 16:50

      Huge +1 to this. Was so much easier taking our daughter to New Zealand at 9 months last year than it was to/from the East Cost of the US at 18 months back in April!!!

  • Sam says:

    14 Jun14 June 07:32

    Thanks all, really useful stuff.

    • Binks says:

      14 Jun14 June 21:46

      Also give your baby a dummy (pacifier) during take off And landing. This helps with the air pressure etc. Travelled with my daughter at 3 months to Dubai, 9 months to Pakistan and 23 months to Istanbul. The funny was great and really helped! You also get to pre-book seats in advance and accelerated though passport control at the destination (when queues are long).

  • Luthar says:

    14 Jun14 June 07:43

    I second the Yoyo. I’ve travelled on BA and Iberia and would say that I had a slightly better experience on BA, but both are fine.

  • Marcw says:

    14 Jun14 June 07:51

    Non-stop flight.

    • Froggee says:

      14 Jun14 June 08:20

      And if you can time the flight for a normal nap time there is a decent chance (depending on your baby) the wee one will nap for a portion of the flight too. This worked successfully for both of ours. The worst stage for travelling with kids is once they start moving but are too young for cartoons so go while it is easier!

  • Zara says:

    14 Jun14 June 08:57

    Hi Sam- we did this a lot actually. With our first baby (now 2.5 years), we flew 8 return trips in her first year. Once she was 1 it all changed because she was harder to handle! We now have a second baby who turned 6 months yesterday and we e just arrived back from his second return trip. You have some amazingly good flights and some disastrous ones. At <6 months we are exclusively breastfeeding so it’s the best time as we don’t need anything much else for food. We have the GB pockit + stroller which goes in the overhead compartment and is the size of a hand bag. I don’t know how easy or possible it is or if there’s any DM function here but would be more than happy to have a chat with you if you’d find it helpful as we have now travelled probably 13 return trips and my daughter is just 2.5 – As far as Mauritius and close as France.

    • Zara says:

      14 Jun14 June 09:03

      Also depending on who you’re flying with (eg if BA) we request the seats with the bassinet if available. On yesterday’s flight he slept in there for approximately 4 of the 6 hours and 2 yo lied down on lap and her seat combined

      • Zara says:

        14 Jun14 June 09:12

        We also have the ergo baby carrier as helps being handsfree! At 6 months it’s definitely ideal and then not essential for a stroller if you didn’t have/need one otherwise.

        • J says:

          14 Jun14 June 09:37

          Agreeed, I found a carrier makes the whole journey far easier – extra hands for luggage, you can settle your child as soon as you land (rather than waiting until you have left the aircraft), and you don’t need to wait for any crew to assist you. We always found it helpful to get the infant seatbelt asap after boarding, which sometimes allowed us to start a nap before takeoff. BA allow free seat selection from booking for anyone travelling with under 2s, right at the back was always our preference – near the loos, and more often than not we got away with booking an A and a C and keeping the middle free. Also, always ask if you can preboard, and if not, when you can board, if they know you are there, they may make an extra “families with young children” announcement that they otherwise often skip.

    • TescoTease says:

      14 Jun14 June 11:44

      We did a uk – Australia trip with a 3 month and a 2 year old. 10 mins after seatbelt signs were turned off the 2 year old vomited all over me. Once I’d sorted myself out and removed most of the chunks, and only smelt slightly, the 3 month old had a bit of a wriggle and kicked my glass of classic coke out of my hand and into my crotch.

      22 hrs later I was glad to have a shower and change of clothes.

      Singapore airlines Flight crew were amazing.

      • Scallder says:

        14 Jun14 June 16:54

        Huge +1 to the Singapore Airlines crew – we did NZ when ours was 9 months and they were all amazing. Including a couple of them offering to take her for 5/10 minutes and take for a walk around the plane!

        As you’ve alluded to Tesco Tease – spare clothes for everyone, and also some zip lock bags are crucial for the exact reasons you mentioned!

  • Alex M says:

    14 Jun14 June 09:08

    The easiest age to fly with as they sleep most of the time. As others said – feed during take off/landing to ease pressure on ears.

  • pauldb says:

    14 Jun14 June 09:14

    I would second choosing a flight at nap time: not very early or late.
    If you decide not to get a cabin-friendly stroller, use a carrier instead (eg BabyBjorn) – useful to have your hands free and maybe a sleep opportunity if delayed. If you check in your stroller (and car seat) you can bag them (eg iSafe) and squeeze in some baby essentials: very beneficial on LCCs – we’ve never been questioned.
    We slept both of ours on Cocoonababys and took them onboard, but that’s not a travel-only decision and some might question the safety.

  • Andrew says:

    14 Jun14 June 09:25

    We have always found BA to be excellent in our roughly 6 return trips with children of varying ages – attentive crew in Y and C – in C especially in terms ferreting around in the valley to find something a fussy eater would eat (seemingly they carry a portion-sized lack of corn flakes for just such occasions) – although likely not an issue for your little one’s age.

    Potentially equally relevant is the airport you’re flying from. London-wise we found Gatwick better for younger children as it had a play area with the large squidgy “up to toddler-age” stuff, whilst Heathrow had a great soft play area but that may be more suitable to slightly older children. Both good for knackering out the kids before a flight…

    On the other hand we found Luton to be absolutely awful…

  • John Caribbean says:

    14 Jun14 June 10:34

    If you aren’t already planning on it, go to a lounge – more space, nearby toilets, calmer atmosphere

    • The Savage Squirrel says:

      14 Jun14 June 13:14

      What a lovely thread! Nothing to add other than I’m 100% in agreement with the sentiment that mass transport will include people of all ages from 0 to 100 and anyone with a problem with that needs to charter their own jet or stay at home. Anyone who’s had kids (which is a good majority of the adult population) – and most without too – are far more likely to offer sympathy and assistance to a parent doing their best than complaints, so pay no mind to any tutters and huffers!

  • AJA says:

    14 Jun14 June 20:40

    Take plenty of kitchen towel.

    I had the fabulous experience of a 6 month old baby projectile vomiting last night on my flight to LGW. The mother was a bit overwhelmed. Cabin crew were great but it’s a bit offputting when they were yet to give out the meals. I did see them.go into the washroom , I just hope they did wash their hands thoroughly.

    The father meanwhile couldn’t control the 4 year old who was peering over the seat at me and then turning around and playing with the hair of the passenger in the row in front.

    The family was sitting in row2 of CE. I was in row 3.

    I do understand that it’s not either child’s fault but I disagree with Shoestring when he says other passengers are nasty. I paid a lot of money for my flight and don’t appreciate it when the parents struggle to control their offspring.

    • Shoestring says:

      14 Jun14 June 21:17

      You have a good point. But the parents are at fault, not the crying/ projectile kid.

    • Shoestring says:

      14 Jun14 June 21:36

      Hang on, though, AJA – you said: [The father meanwhile couldn’t control the 4 year old who was peering over the seat at me and then turning around and playing with the hair of the passenger in the row in front.]

      This rings a bell. My first son has quite severe autism. He would do that sort of thing at that age. In supermarkets, he even on occasion grabbed women (he was 4 or 5, remember) and peeked up their T-shirts at their bras. Nothing much parents can do if it happens unexpectedly – unless you expect us to imprison an autistic child.

      We used to purposefully grab seats in the toilet row on a plane – complete anathema! 🙂 – so that somebody else in our family could sit in front and he wouldn’t kick their seat the whole journey, or if he did, it wouldn’t annoy another passenger. Ie it was easy to get these rubbish seats at T-24.

      Good news is: my autistic son is still autistic but has grown out of that unacceptable behaviour, he’s now 18 going on 19 (sorry if I claimed 19 the other day, bad dad!). These days, perfect behaviour on a plane unless you choose to engage him in conversation! – in which case, you might turn off after about 30 seconds but not offensive.

    • Freddy says:

      14 Jun14 June 22:43

      Is a 4 year child wanting to make eye contact over a seat misbehaving. A child that age isn’t going to know what is socially appropriate on a flight, i’ve seen alot worse from fully grown adults who should know better.

      • AJA says:

        14 Jun14 June 23:34

        Hi Freddy, no it’s not the worst behaviour but I do think the playing with the hair of the passenger in front is not acceptable.

        The fact that the parent didn’t admonish the child and explain it is rude to stare at people and touch someone else’s hair is pretty poor.

        I accept that a 4 hour flight is pretty boring to anyone and particularly to a 4 year old but there was no attempt to provide distractions such as iPad with cartoons or games to play. The child was just allowed to stand (not sit) on the seat and be disruptive.

        It’s not appropriate behaviour in any cabin but particularly annoying in business class.

        I didn’t say anything but wouldn’t have been wrong to ask the parent to control their child. I think i might have had the child touched my hair though.

        But then again there was no apology from either parent. Now that’s rude.

        • The Savage Squirrel says:

          15 Jun15 June 09:08

          My god, a child LOOKED at you? Like ACTUAL EYE CONTACT? What a horrible experience – you have my deepest sympathy. Are you OK?

          [if you’d engaged them in a nice chat, the flight would probably have been much more fun for both of you – 4 year old are often unintentionally hilarious. Life is what you make it…].

• Tracy Regan says:

  14 Jun14 June 06:33

  Is Accelerate targeted? When I click the link it says we appreciate your loyalty! but there is no Accelerate details. Thanks.

  • Matthew says:

    14 Jun14 June 08:48

    I got the same. Assumed it was an IT glitch but it’s never shown me targets for this quarter.

  • Zara says:

    14 Jun14 June 09:03

    Me too

  • Charlieface says:

    14 Jun14 June 09:26

    I also got that, quick check in browser debug shows the network packet says not eligible. Why they couldn’t just tell you….

• Ed says:

  14 Jun14 June 06:52

  My own Accelerate targets are a bit naff this time around.
  12 Stays for 24,000 bonus points
  5 Brands (v hard in UK!) for 15,600 bonus points
  2 Holiday Inns for 3,200 bonus points
  No capstone target like “Hit 2 out of the three and get….”
  No new June incentive…
  meh

  • TGLoyalty says:

    14 Jun14 June 08:40

    You’d be surprised since the old principal hotels seem to count as their own brand if they haven’t been converted yet.

    Intercontinental
    Kimpton
    Voco
    CP
    Indigo
    HI
    HIX
    Staybridge
    Independents like the old principals and Q in Amsterdam count as one each.

    • Crafty says:

      14 Jun14 June 08:53

      Leeds Met?

  • Lady London says:

    14 Jun14 June 13:31

    I had that combination 3 Accelerates ago. It hasn’t got better since.

    I think since that time I’ve done between 2 and 6 stays in IHG hotels instead of about 50 nights IHG hotels might have got. I’ve even given stays to Accor where there was a perfectly suitable IHG hotel with no real price difference in the location.

    I would say the ridiculous Accelerate targets I’ve had on the last 3 Accelerates have actually lost IHG stays as they automatically make me discount IHG hotels where there are any others that offer what I need.

• Lyn says:

  14 Jun14 June 06:56

  I have the new IHG June stay Accelerate target, but in my case for 2,000 points instead of 3,000. I’m Platinum. My husband, who is Spire, doesn’t have the new target.

  • CraigyC says:

    14 Jun14 June 07:23

    Mines the same 2000 instead of 3000, I doubt I’ll go anywhere in the next couple of weeks so not much use.
    The rest of mine are decent though, do they all stack?

    • Lady London says:

      14 Jun14 June 13:35

      Yes they stack. If they give you realistic targets that’s how you make it work.

      Accor doesn’t stack but others generally seem to.

  • Lady London says:

    14 Jun14 June 13:34

    Gold and 2000 for June. Yawn. See above.

  • Alex Sm says:

    17 Jun17 June 23:24

    I don’t get either 2k or 3k which would have been superhandy as I got a one-night stay (not stand!) at IC Warsaw last week…

• christian kemp says:

  14 Jun14 June 07:00

  My Accelerate target was a single one – Double points, up to 40k, starting from your second stay. What a load of rubbish, I actually thought it was a mistake at first!

  • ankomonkey says:

    14 Jun14 June 09:47

    +1. Not even bothering to try.

  • Lady London says:

    14 Jun14 June 13:52

    The ‘from second stay’ is particularly off putting. It makes the offer look mean. IT mâles me swerve away.

    Guys, if you don’t get my attention for my first stay of a series, quite possibly I’ll already have decided to put the whole series somewhere else.

    The reason people stay a lot of nights is often the same reason for all the nights. Such as work or having to be in a location for an extended period of time to support family. So if , say, IHG or Marriott loses the first night, the whole lot of nights may have already been decided to be elsewhere by the second night.

    The reason for staying won’t change and most people have inertia so they will continue booking the remaining stays elsewhere if they swerved away because the first stay wasn’t incentivised. That’s why Hilton is not getting m’y summer nights. There are enough alternatives to do me very nicely. Otherwise good chance Hilton light have got all m’y summer stays. But thé first stay was excluded so all of them got booked elsewhere.

• Alison Day says:

  14 Jun14 June 07:08

  I contacted IHG directly and they told me the June bonus does not count towards the 4 out of 5 target and is a standalone bonus.

  • Roger says:

    14 Jun14 June 07:31

    That seems correct. My offer is listed at very bottom of the page and the other four offers above it saying complete three offers (out of 4) to receive further bonus.

    Unlikely this June bonus will work/ count towards the further bonus offer.

  • Rob says:

    14 Jun14 June 08:24

    Will amend, thanks.

  • Crafty says:

    14 Jun14 June 08:54

    Odd, as I only have 5 targets listed in total, including the June bonus. My additional target then says I have to complete 4 out of 5. If the June bonus one doesn’t count, then there aren’t 5 to choose from.

    • Alison says:

      14 Jun14 June 09:01

      Mine was similar. It said 4 out of 5 (and there was only 4 to choose from plus then the new June bonus)… but I just refreshed the page and it now says 4 out of 4! I have never previously had any issues with Accelerate but this quarter seems a mess with the late release and weird glitches.

  • ChrisC says:

    14 Jun14 June 10:11

    Phew. Glad this is an additional standalone bonus

    I’d be pretty angry is this new added bonus affected my getting my bonus for completing all my other targets – and I have arranged bookings to get that bonus and have no travel in June

• Metty says:

  14 Jun14 June 07:24

  I had a lot of trouble getting my bonus for achieving 6/7 targets in the last quarter as IHG didn’t agree that a similar ‘stay once in counted. I tried email, phone calls and only when I spoke to a supervisor did I get my bonus ‘as a gesture of goodwill’.

  • Metty says:

    14 Jun14 June 07:31

    As with the previous quarter, this time the ‘stay once in June’ appears below the bonus ‘complete 4/5 offers’ item. In IHG’s belief this means that the ‘stay once in June’ does not count. My point is that the bonus does not say ‘complete 4/5 of the offers above’, it just says ‘complete 4/5 offers’. And including the new June bonus there are only 5 offers.

• Roger says:

  14 Jun14 June 07:32

  Assume staying on the night of 30th June will count for this offer (check out of course will be on 1st July)

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