Thinking about giving the gift of a balloon ride, but can’t decide which balloon flights operator would be best? You’re not alone! In order to select a company to take you up (or the recipient up), you need to know which launch site they are willing to travel to. When buying a balloon experience for a friend, family or loved one, particularly when it’s a surprise gift, you need to ascertain first where abouts in the country they would be willing to fly from and doing this without giving away the surprise is next to impossible‼ (If however you have a way of finding this information out, please let us know so that we can pass this information onto our customers!) The answer is to purchase a National Voucher, rather than a local voucher.

Balloons Over Britain have been in operation since 1991 and are the UK’s largest and longest established balloon flight operators providing a nationwide ballooning network covering Scotland to the South West and Wales to the Wash. All our local balloon operators have earned their Air Operators Certificates awarded to them by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), this certification is granted to fare-paying-passenger carrying organisations that satisfy the organisational and safety requirements required by the CAA. You’ll find that our operators offer a range of hot air balloons to accommodate from 2 to 16 passengers, so that you can enjoy an intimate affair or a party in the sky to remember. All you need to do is decide when your special someone would prefer to fly.

We offer Weekday Morning Vouchers for £89 per person, Weekday vouchers enabling you to fly at sunrise or sunset for £115 per person and Anytime vouchers giving the lucky recipient the choice to fly…anytime! These are available for £129 per person. Why not jazz it up a little more and offer your surprise gift as a Balloon-in-a-box?! We will attach the voucher(s) by ribbon to an 18″ (45cm) metallic foil balloon which can read any of the following; “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Birthday”, “Congratulations!” and “Happy Anniversary”! Everything will be packed into a candy striped box and dispatched by either first class post or Royal Mail Special Delivery (as selected by you at the checkout). Then, when the box is received and opened, out will float the balloon reading your celebratory message, and hanging below it will be those ‘golden’ tickets! With other more specific balloon messages available along with Next Day Special Delivery options, this is a snip at just £15!

Have you flown with us before? If so, here at Bailey Balloons we’d love to hear back from you! Your feedback means the world to us, good or bad! We like to know how we can improve our service and know we can only do this with the help of our customer’s constructive guidance and of course we need to be told where we are getting it right so that we can keep doing so! Why not get in touch with us by phone on 01275 375 300, by email: info@baileyballoons.co.uk or by leaving your comments on this post. We love to hear our flyers memoirs of the day’s events, some of the stories we here are truly engaging and some have even made it into our articles! So come on over and tell us about your experiences!

Although we take professional in flight photographs during our flights, we LOVE to see our flyers own photographs of the day’s events. So if you remembered to bring your camera, and you captured some shots during the flight, good or bad, please take a moment to send them over to us, we might even upload them to our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/baileyballoons) but not without your permission if course! So if you enjoyed the thrill and exhilaration of your personal day of ballooning, we’d love you to share your photos and memories with our prospective flyers, we’ll even display them on our website! What’s more, if you flew with other passengers, you will even have the opportunity to view their photos from the same flight! When sending please remember to include the date and location of your flight so that we can tally your photo’s and comments up with others and our own.

Fancy a little sequel flight incentive? How’s about this?! You can enjoy another (wholly unique) ballooning experience with us accept this time, as you’re honouring us with your presence and loyalty again, we’d like to offer you a little bonus. If you’d like to commemorate another special day with us, celebrate another loved ones big day, create a magical moment with someone special or write history for the kids, the grandkids even, then why not try a different location or different time of day with us? Enjoy the true beauty of ballooning in our vast skies again with a discount of 15% when booking with Bailey Balloons! This may be worth considering as a Christmas present, or Birthday maybe, or better still, the perfect way to pop the question? To take advantage of our special offer, please ring our booking office on 01275 375300, where one of our friendly team will be happy to help.

Would you like the opportunity to take on a new line of work, completely? Are you getting itchy feet in your current role? Well then here at Wickers World we may have just the thing for you!

We’re looking for a new full time individual to join our lively team of hot air balloon enthusiasts in our flight administration office. This is a long term role and would suit a person who is looking for something new to sink their teeth into, a new career path an opportunity to build themselves up in a completely different line of work that would actually be of interest to them. You could even be one of those lucky few who enjoys their work‼ Imagine that; the alarm goes off and you jump out of bed with a spring in your step and not once do you watch the clock at work!

If you’re interested in having the chance to work with a successful local business, then consider us at Wickers World; we are the third largest provider of balloon flights in the UK and were one of the first CAA licensed operators over 20 years ago‼

Your job will entail:

• Scheduling of balloon flights and making flight reservations for customers.
• Processing bookings and taking telephone orders.
• All aspects of customer care and relations.
• Invoicing corporate clients.
• Assisting with marketing, including website maintenance and content.
• Maintaining our computerised customer database.
• Other promotional/administrative tasks as required.

Don’t panic, we will obviously train you up on our business activities and also on the bespoke software reservations package that we use.

If working in an office doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, we also have roles available for hot air balloon ground crew. You may also be interested to know that some of our ground crew have even qualified as private pilots after passing the Civil Aviation Authority training program & examinations! Following this the possibilities are endless with a view to gaining commercial qualifications eventually!

You will need:

• An excellent telephone manner.
• Good organisational skills.
• An outgoing and confident personality – to match the exciting services that we provide.
• Strong computer skills, including use of Microsoft Office products.
• The ability to manage their own time efficiently and work on their own initiative.
• An extremely reliable, punctual and dedicated attitude to their role.

You’ll find that we’re at our busiest through the summer months, and so please bear in mind that we tend to ask our team to take their holiday time in the period from October to April. Normal office operational hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, although occasional weekend office duties can occur during the busier times.

You can expect a basic salary of £14,500 with the opportunity to earn an additional circa £4000 if ground crew duties are undertaken (extra hours apply).

Please note; you will need to have your own transport as our office is located rurally near Great Haywood.

All interested parties should apply by email to jon@wickersworld.co.uk, enclosing your CV and a detailed description of why you think you would be suited to this role and why you would be a valid member of our team. It may be an idea to browse our website to find out more about our company and the service that we provide.

Broadland Balloons offer champagne balloon flights over East Anglia which boasts an enchanting mix of idyllic countryside, historic market towns and breathtaking coastline. We have launch sites in both Suffolk and Norfolk where you can enjoy sights such as the famous Broads National Park with their wildlife reserves, the cities two Cathedrals and Norman Castle, The Broads (which is a tranquil area of waterways and the largest area of protected wetlands in the UK) including woodland, fens, salt marshes and rivers which are home to many species of birds and wildlife, Wymondham Abbey, Norman castle, Pennings Local Nature Reserve and the beautiful Thornham Walled, or Bressingham, gardens.

Our prices start from as little as £89 per person for a weekday morning champagne balloon flight voucher and go up to as much as £795 for an exclusive champagne balloon flight for two (The ultimate VIP way to fly; just 2 passengers, the pilot, and champagne floating through the early morning sky!) This is ideal for proposals or special celebrations.

Some people however prefer to join our Flexible Fliers list, rather than purchasing their vouchers in advance. This is great for customers who have a more flexible lifestyle, and anyone on this list will be contacted by email, telephone or text message when we have last minute availability to see if you’d like to take the opportunity. Bear in mind however, this could be anywhere between a couple of days before the flight to a couple of hours! Don’t worry however, there’s no obligation to accept any offer of a flight, we just put the feelers out and you give us the nod! What’s more, you pay nothing until you accept a place! Choosing to fly this way means that when we suggest a day to you, you can go ahead when the timings right for you, working around your finances and your commitments. We will continue to contact you until you fly or until you tell us that you no longer require a flight with us.

Interested? Simply fill in the flexible flyers form online or call us on 01603 495004 for bookings or information. We look forward to hearing from you!

At Alba Balloons, one of the most common questions asked by customers is “can I fly?” Many of our first time flyers are cautious, medically, about whether or not it is advisable for them to take their dream hot air balloon flight. Firstly we’d like to advise that if you have any doubts, or concerns about flying, you consult your doctor.

We wouldn’t say that ballooning is particularly physically demanding or requiring of high fitness, however, you will need to be able to climb into the basket (which does have foot holes), this is about 110cms (or 44”) tall. Bear in mind also, that you should be flexible enough to crouch when landing as this enables the balloon to land faster and to safely absorb the bump of a landing which can on occasions be a little hefty.

If you are pregnant, or if you have any significant ankle, knee, hip, back or bone weaknesses, we will be unable to fly you. This is because the impact of a heavier landing equates to standing on a dining chair and jumping off, the equivalent to a 50 cm (19 inches) drop or so. We would also recommend that anyone who has a heart, nervous or mental condition should not fly as should the need arise, it is not always possible to land the balloon at short notice should anything untoward happen whilst in the air.

We do however reserve the right to insist that a passenger with a medical or physical condition be accompanied by a suitable able bodied person at their own cost in certain circumstances.

We are unable to fly any child under the age of 8; as to be fair to them, they wouldn’t be able to see over the side! Children under the age of 16 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Due to the nature of ballooning, we are unable to fly a person whose weight exceeds 18 Stone (115 kg) or a couple whose combined weight exceeds 30 Stone (190 kg).

For your reassurance, a balloon flight has been shown to be the safest way of taking to the skies. It’s utter simplicity and slowness provides flyers with protection against the unlikelihood of any failure or accident. All balloons are inspected at least every year as are our pilots who will possess a British Commercial Balloon Pilot’s license. Of course the safety of a flight is dependent upon whether, which is why your pilot will use their extensive experience to only take to the air if they are certain that a safe flight can be conducted. We pride ourselves on maintaining a 100% passenger safety record.

For more information and/or bookings, visit us online at www.albaballooning.co.uk or call us on 01875 830709.

Considering embarking upon your first hot air balloon adventure? Then consider The Ballooning Business. We’ve been established since 1989 as one of the UK’s original balloon ride companies! We offer champagne balloon flights from Northampton, Milton Keynes, Leicester, Bedford, Huntingdon and Banbury. With the choice of scheduled flights where you can choose from any of our available dates, exclusive flights for two where you can enjoy an intimate flight planned for the day of your choice or exclusive group bookings where you and your group of friends and family can book a flight for the day of your choice (great for parties or celebrations), there is an option to suit everyone’s desires!

With us, your flight will last for approximately one hour over the towns, villages and rolling countryside of the location you have chosen. However, please allow three hours for the whole trip as you will also have a chance to enjoy ballooning to the max while helping to set up and pack away the hot air balloon!

The pilot will give an initial passenger briefing before your flight takes off. Then bask (hopefully) in the sun up to 3’000 feet in the air for an hour, admiring the landscape you have chosen from a perspective you could never have imagined. Enjoy looking down on the world below, unhindered and complete with a 360 degree view and see what it’s really like to look down on the world like a bird!

At the end of your flight, the pilot will use his navigational skills and handling ability to travel with the wind in order to find a suitable landing place. But don’t forget the Champagne toast! All flights include a lovely glass of the ol’ sparkling and what’s more, you can enjoy real crystal glassware! You will also be awarded with a commemorative personalised flight certificate and we will return you to the launch site. Then it’s au revoir from us while we leave you to your beautiful memories!

To sum up the service you receive from us, right now, if you purchase two or more flights from us, you will automatically be entered into our quarterly draw to be upgraded to one of our “Exclusive” flights! You can simply book online, or you can call us on 01604 768 617.

Those of you who know us here at Bailey Balloons will already be aware of our strong participation in the BBC One Show. As a hugely broadcasted television program, you can probably imagine that we’re quite proud of this and so we’re going to take every opportunity to keep you informed about what’s been going on and what is scheduled ahead. For Bailey Balloons ‘newbie’s’ and prospective flyers, Bailey Balloons are responsible for the operation of the One Show’s balloon which frequently appears on the show!

It had been busy again flying over different places in the UK for the BBC’s One Show, in fact we’d appeared on the show every night from the 26^th to the 30^thof March!

On Monday 26th March was the Tilt-shift show where specialist photographers were able to make the village of Bourton on the Water seem miniature! You can even watch the episode for yourself here – http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01f4zf1/The_One_Show_26_03_2012/ .

On Tuesday 27th March was the Dying Forests show which tragically showed many of our trees are dying of disease! Our One Show Balloon flew over Wales to find out more. See for yourself here – http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01f4zgg/The_One_Show_27_03_2012/.

On Wednesday 28th March you may have seen the Black Out episode where Larry Lamb investigated how during WW2 many decoys were created to divert German bombs away from real targets such as airfields and cities. Take a look here! – http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01f4zhw/The_One_Show_28_03_2012/.

On Thursday 29th March episode, we learned about Bristol’s Floating Harbour, with presenter Dick Strawbridge. Watch this episode here – tp://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007tcw7.

Finally, on Friday 30th March, the One Show balloon took off from Caldicot Castle and flew between the two Severn Bridges looking at the amazing engineering and how the original bridge was the template for many other suspension bridges across the world.

At Balloons Over Britain booking your long dreamed of balloon flight couldn’t be easier, in fact not only have we made it easy, but we’ve also made every effort to give you all the tools you need to find out everything you need to know about us, our member flights companies and ballooning itself! You will find a great About Us section which presents you with our personal information from our history, our years of experience, our unrivalled safety record to the certificates and awards we have been issued. There you can also find our full list of member companies so that you can see which company will fly you depending on the location you choose. Each company has its own website where you can find out all about them, their own experience, records and certification, along with their list of launch sites and available dates. You will also have the facility to book online on each of their websites should you choose, alternatively they all have clearly displayed telephone numbers for your reference.

At Balloons Over Britain you will be able to update yourself on our most recent news, facts and figures and even buy national or local vouchers which enable you to select your destination at a later date. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3; buy your voucher, choose your location, then simply enjoy the view!

With a fleet of over 40 balloons throughout our member companies, you will find that we have daily scheduled dawn and dusk flights seven days a week! Our main flying season is between March and October, however some of our member companies will even fly later into the year! We recommend you call for further information. Did you know that Balloons Over Britain fly over one-third of all balloon ride passengers in the UK‼

With more than 70 launch sites across the UK, the chances are you’ll find we fly from the spot you desire! We have been established since 1991 and are now the UK’s largest and longest established balloon flight operator providing nationwide flights – our network of companies is appropriately known as Balloons Over Britain. So whether you’re after a flight from Scotland or even a tour around the South West and Wales, you can choose to book direct with a local operator or enjoy the added flexibility of a Balloons Over Britain Nationwide voucher.

For more information visit us at www.balloonsoverbritain.co.uk or call us on 0845 071 6388.

Are you the outdoors type? Do you grab every moment you can to kick off your shoes and run barefoot? Does the sound of a day spent exploring, hiking, picnicking and basking in the trees appeal more to you than a day spent in front of the box or shopping? If so, then you’re an adventurer, a lover of the earth around you and all the treasures that it has to offer. So why not make a career out of enjoying our planets natural elements? Not looking for a career as such? Maybe you’d be more interested in a summer vacancy, a way to earn cash whilst enjoying the sunshine? It sure beats sitting in front of a computer screen watching the world go by from your window!

Here at Airborne Balloons we have just the thing for you. We’re looking for enthusiastic new members to join our team of passionate pilots and game for anything ground crew! We’d like to recruit sociable sunshine lovers who will really fit in with our ground crew. It’s certainly a rewarding activity which not only gives you unique new experiences but allows you to top up on the ol’ vitamin D! We’re always on the lookout for new members to join our already successful and professional team of balloon ground crew and so if you’re reliable and happy to work on a full time or part time basis, mornings and/or evenings to include weekdays and weekends, then we’d love to hear from you!

Our flying season started at the beginning of the month and is due to end in early November, so for any interested parties available during these months, why not get in touch to find out more?

Our flights operate from various sites across the counties of Kent and Sussex. All we ask is that applicants must be reasonably physically fit, over the age of 25 and have 3 years clean driving licence.

To be the next member of our hot air ballooning ground crew here at Airborne Balloons and to book yourself in for a summer to remember, contact our Chief Flight Co-ordinator – Sandie Leigh on:

Tel:   01622 871117
Fax:  01622 871117
E-mail: sales@airborneballoons.co.uk

With so many balloon flight operators in the UK, the decision of which one to choose can be very tricky indeed. That’s why here at Balloons Over Britain we have created our blogs page so that you can find useful information at your finger tips of all the CAA approved flights operators under the Balloons Over Britain membership. All our member companies are highly reputable with excellent safety records and many years of experience in ballooning. Take for example Bailey Balloons, our hot air ballooning flights operator who cover Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire and South Wales.

Right now at Bailey Balloons you can treat yourself or someone special to a balloon flight for as little as £85 per person! These flights launch from Ashton Court in Bristol, Royal Victoria Park in Bath and the Usk Valley in South Wales. The reduced price (normally £125) is per person and is valid for week-day morning flights, (excluding bank holidays). You can upgrade these flights to a Gold voucher at any stage.

Want to upgrade to Gold? Well now you can for a snip of the original price! Flying from Ashton Court in Bristol, Royal Victoria Park in Bath and the Usk Valley in South Wales, you can enjoy a morning or evening flight seven day a week (Excludes Flights from the Bristol Balloon Fiesta) for just £125 per person (normally £145.00!)

Our Gold Spring Special Offer enables you to buy your Gold Voucher now and pay later! Simply pay your £40 deposit now and the remaining balance can be spread over the coming months. For more information and bookings please call us on 01275 375300.

All our vouchers can be ordered by phone, or you can continue with your purchases by booking online. Vouchers can be e-mailed or sent by post by selecting the product or offer and following the links choosing ‘By Post’ or By E-Mail’.

At Bailey Balloons we offer;

• Super Balloon flights
• Competitive Prices
• Highly Experienced Pilots
• Friendly Crew and Staff
• Good Availability
• Highly respected Company
• Personal Service
• Date availability checker before you book

Run by Jo and Clive Bailey who have an abundance of experience and an untouchable safety record, you can be sure that their passion for ballooning will no doubt ensure that your flight will be remembered for all the right reasons!