As our balloon rides will now be fulfilled by Virgin Balloon Flights, while many of the below FAQs remain relevant, for up-to-date information about your balloon ride, please visit the FAQs on Virgin’s website here.
The main flying season for scheduled flights is from April to October. Flights are scheduled 7 days a week, morning and evening throughout the main flying season in our various locations across the South West. All our flight vouchers are valid for 12 months so whatever time of year you purchase a voucher, you/the recipient will always have a full flying season to take the flight. Vouchers make wonderful gifts for Christmas and other special occasions.
Balloon flights take place either early in the morning, just after sunrise or in the evening, a couple of hours before sunset, when the air is at its stillest. Times vary throughout the season depending on sunrise and sunset times, for example May meeting times are around 6.00am and 6.00pm.
We fly in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and South Wiltshire as well as Bristol, Bath & South Wales. See our balloon ride meeting locations for more detailed information.
Ballooning is an experience NOT to be rushed. The actual balloon flight is approximately 1 hour. It is very important that passengers arrive at the meeting point at the correct time as stated on the weatherline update. It will sometimes be necessary to transport passengers from the meeting point to an alternative local launch site, owing perhaps to the wind direction. They will always be returned to the original meeting point at the end of the flight. For this reason you should allow at least 4 hours for the complete experience. Passengers are advised not to book a restaurant following an evening flight, as the return time cannot be guaranteed.
No special clothing is required. Sensible outdoor clothes and footwear suitable for wearing in the countryside at the time of year will be fine. Remember the grass may be damp, and you may encounter the odd cowpat. No sandals or high heels please- sensible shoes such as trainers or walking boots. A hat may be useful to protect your head from the heat. Ladies wear trousers please.
Ballooning is like serendipity, which is the art of making happy and unexpected discoveries by chance. Where the balloon goes is entirely dependent on the wind, no two flights are the same. A balloon cannot be steered and travels with the wind, so it is not possible to guarantee a flight over a particular house, town or village.
Yes, champagne, orange juice or water is available after the flight.
This again is dependent on the wind. You may travel anything from 2 to 25 miles with the average distance covered being about 10 miles. Altitude wise, the flight will normally be between 500 and 3500 feet above ground level.
They are welcome to watch the balloon inflation and launch. If an alternative launch site to the meeting location is used, they will have to make their own way there and back.
No. If we consider the weather safe, the flight will take place. Living in the British Isles, it is not possible to guarantee sunshine. Flights will not take place in rain or fog. If you wish to postpone your flight date you must give the minimum period of notice in accordance with our terms and conditions.
You may postpone your flight by speaking to us direct (office hours 9:30am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday) YOU MUST GIVE AT LEAST 7 DAYS NOTICE TO CHANGE A BOOKED FLIGHT DATE,.
An out of office hours answering machine message or e-mail is not acceptable as a method of postponement.
If you do not turn up for your flight you will not be entitled to reschedule your flight nor will you be entitled to any refund. Please see our Terms & Conditions.
It must be understood that ballooning is dependent upon suitable weather and ground conditions, as we require reasonable vehicle and trailer access onto the launch and landing sites. You will need to telephone our pre-flight weather information line prior to the flight to check if the flight is proceeding. If it is postponed you simply rebook for another convenient day.
As a general rule you should book your flight one or two weeks in advance. Longer if for a weekend evening or a bank holiday. You can check date availability and reserve your space by calling the Aerosaurus office or visiting our on-line flight availability page. We recommend that you book a flight date as soon as you receive your voucher and allow plenty of time for rescheduling after weather cancellations so that you do not risk losing your voucher, please carefully read the information and terms and conditions which are sent with the voucher at the time of purchase.
Yes, and twice as much memory as you think you might need but you are responsible for looking after your camera and personal possessions.
On a standard flight you will be joining a group of other people. The balloon baskets are divided into compartments for your safety, and there will not be any more than four passengers in any one compartment. You may book just one person, or as many as you wish. Alternatively you may like to book an exclusive flight where you have an entire balloon to yourselves (plus the pilot of course!).
Yes, we are certified by the Civil Aviation Authority and all our pilots hold full Commercial Pilot Licences. We carry limited insurance cover against risk of injury to passengers during flights in accordance with international agreements covering air transport.
There is no upper age limit, but passengers must be sufficiently agile to climb in and out of the basket, which is about 42 inches (1.1 M) high. Children must be at least 7 years old, over 4’ 6” high (1.4 M), and accompanied by an adult. For operational reasons there will be a surcharge for passengers whose weight exceeds 18 stone (114 kg), if you think this may be the case please call us.
We are not qualified to express an opinion on whether you are fit to fly, please discuss with your doctor prior to purchasing a voucher. You must not fly if you are suffering from any serious medical condition or have recently undergone surgery, unless you have a certificate of your fitness to fly from your doctor. You must not fly if you are pregnant or under the influence of drink or drugs. If a passenger requires to carry medication during the flight they must inform the pilot in advance.
There are many differing levels of disabilities, please check with us first before booking a flight. It is possible for us to fly people with reduced mobility from our launch sites in Bristol, Bath or South Wales where we operate a balloon with seating – please call Bailey Balloons to discuss your requirements on 01275 375300.
You first need to purchase a flight voucher(s) which will entitle the passenger(s) to a hot air balloon flight. The passenger must then log into the Passenger Area of our web site, where they are able to view and book on flights. Remember, balloon flights depend upon suitable weather and ground conditions and therefore you may have to book onto more than one flight before getting flown.
All our vouchers are valid for an initial period of 12 months from the date of purchase. If you experience 5 or more flight cancellations within the validity of the voucher, we will provide a 3 ‘flying month’ extension to allow you to keep booking. If you reach your expiry date and you have not made enough attempts to qualify for a free extension, you can pay to extend your voucher either for 3 months or 12 months. Prices start from £35 per person. If you need your voucher to be more flexible and allow you to book onto evening or weekend flights, you can upgrade it at any point. Upgrades start from £25 per person. Extensions and Upgrades can be added via your online account or by contacting the office.
We are very excited that the Civil Aviation Authority are allowing us to fly our all of balloons and we are looking forward to flying all our passengers from March 2021 onwards. We have very strict Covid-19 protocols in place. Staff have attended courses and we have been awarded the Visit England Good to Go and the AA Covid-19 Confident Awards. Passengers have to wear face masks and lots of hand sanitiser is used as well as all vehicles and balloon baskets cleaned in between each flight. If you have any questions, please email mail@ballooning.co.uk for more information.
