It’s not too late to take advantage of Wickers World’s Wonderful Winter Offer! And now’s the time to do it! Valentine’s Day is looming folks and the cash for most is not yet flowing! So why not take advantage of our fabulous offer whilst treating your loved one to the most spectacular Valentine’s Day gift of their lifetime without breaking the bank! Sound too good to be true? Well worry not, this is a genuine offer, but it’s nearly at its end.

Simply choose your ballooning destination and telephone to place your order. We won’t ask you to pay up now, we simply ask for a deposit and the rest is payable by the 1^st March. This way your January pay packet can go towards paying up your Christmas bills and Valentine’s Day can be paid for after the event.

We only ask you to pay 50% of the order value at the time of purchase, and we won’t ask for a penny more until March 1st 2012! We won’t charge you interest and we won’t put our prices up to compensate, it’s as straightforward as it sounds! We will however only accept telephone orders, but you can pay with your card, cheque or with cash.

Pick from our locations in Staffordshire, Derbyshire & The Peak District, Warwickshire & Gloucestershire, Cheshire & Shropshire and Warwickshire & Herefordshire. As you can see, we book flights in the most beautiful parts of the UK and are Pilot’s will take you over the most Romantic settings, rolling countryside, breathtaking horizons and historic villages. Our pilots have a real passion for ballooning and will tailor your flight to your wishes. If you’re happy, we’re happy!

We fly on every single day of the year that the weather and ground conditions allow! This includes weekdays, weekends, Bank Holidays and so on, however please do not expect us to fly on Christmas Day! We take off about an hour after dawn, and again about two hours before sunset. It’s at these times of day that the conditions are most suitable for ballooning; all you need to do is decide which of those times you’d enjoy the most.

We advise you check our schedule of flights for the next few weeks, which is something that our competitors do not let you see until you’ve bought a voucher. By allowing you access to this, you can see how frequently we fly in the areas of your choice and if we’re likely to be able to offer you a flight on the day of your choice.

We are open from 9am until at least 5pm, Monday to Friday, and even at variable hours at weekends too! So for more information or for bookings simply give us a call – 01889 88 22 22.

Ahh, Valentine’s Day is fast approaching people and with less than three weeks to go, maybe it’s time you pull your socks up and get your special someone the gift they’ll remember for a lifetime. Is this the very special year that you’d like to make the all time most romantic gesture? Maybe you’re looking for the ultimate way to propose to your partner? On the other hand, you could just want to celebrate Valentine’s Day in style and knock the socks off your loved one! It would certainly impress!

As a woman and speaking from personal experience, I have to say that Yes, it does matter how you are proposed to! This day will be talked about for years to come. Your children, your grandchildren and your great grandchildren will be told the story of how daddy/grandpa proposed to mummy/grandma and their eyes will glow with excitement as they hear the story. Let’s face it, what is the first question people ask when you say ‘we’re engaged!’? Its how did he ask (or she!)? Did he get down on one knee? Where were you? Was it romantic? And I can tell you, popping the question over the very mundane board game of Absolute Balderdash is NOT the way! *Sigh*, starting out this way doesn’t lead to Happy Ever Afters either!

No, the way to do it is certainly 3,000 feet in the air in a hot air balloon; it truly doesn’t get more perfect than that! It ticks all the boxes; well thought out, effort in preparation, romantic, big gesture, the ‘wow’ factor, memorable and lavish! Enough to make your special someone feel very treasured indeed!

So would you like to know more about how you can organise a balloon flight for your loved one this Valentine’s Day? Then get in touch with Balloons Over Britain! We have locations all across the UK and are taking bookings now. You can buy vouchers from as little as £89 and offer you the flexibility to book online, or to call us where we will happily take your bookings. Whatever questions you have we’re more than happy to help. Take a look at our FAQ where you will find the answers to our most frequently asked questions, or of course phone for assistance – 0845 071 6388.

Happy Valentine’s!

Happy New Chinese Year of the Dragon from us all here at Alba Balloons where we are also celebrating 12 years of operations! In the spirit of our celebrations we are offering you a £30 discount per person! This discount is available on the following vouchers;

• Freedom Flight Voucher – Normally £169, now just £139 per person! This voucher enables you to book onto any of our scheduled flights, including weekends at any location; full flexibility!
• Weekday Flight Voucher - Normally £155, now just £125 per person! This voucher enables you to book onto any of our weekday scheduled flights, at any location; you are not pinpointed to a particular session (morning/evening).
• Weekday Morning Voucher – Normally £139, now just £109 per person! This voucher entitles you to book onto any of our weekday morning scheduled flights in Scotland!
• Premium Flight Voucher – Normally £199, now just £169 per person! This luxurious voucher gives the customer the option to book onto any of our scheduled flights, including weekends at any location of their choice! The voucher also includes an ‘in flight’ photo and is fully refundable.

Our locations include Lothians & Peeblesshire (near Edinburgh), Perth & Kinrosshire, Fife & Clackmannanshire, Scottish Borders (St Boswells & Kelso) and Northumberland (Longhorsley & Morpeth).  However, at Alba Balloons we understand how important it is that you have exactly the ballooning experience you’ve dreamed of, so all our vouchers can be transferred to be used with England based balloon operators too! All hot air balloon operators that are part of the Balloons over Britain group will also accept Alba Balloons Vouchers.

What we pride ourselves on most at Alba balloons is our strong reputation for customer service. We offer you a range of options and services which are unique only to us enabling you various advantages such as; the option to telephone our offices to speak directly with your pilot, the ability to see our flight availability before you buy, the option to purchase on line 24/7 and so on. We strive to schedule enough flights so that you can always book a short time ahead and never under any circumstances sell more vouchers than British weather could ever enable us to fly! What’s more, we notify you as early as possible of flight cancellations due to poor weather and promise to never make last minute changes to your booked flight meeting point.

For more information or to book your flight simply visit the site or call us on 01875 830 709.

Broadland Balloons are the UK’s number one hot air balloon flights company who provide passenger balloon flights in Norfolk and Suffolk. This part of Britain offers a serene vision of beauty, peaceful countryside, history and a breathtaking coastline. Gaze over the basket at your 360° view of East Anglia’s 200 km of rivers, National parks, medieval churches and Norwich’s staggering architecture.

As a member of the reputable Balloons Over Britain, Broadland Balloons constantly strive to meet the very high expectations and standards expected of them as a member of the company. With their name very well known in these parts of the UK for meeting customer’s expectations, safety standards and passion for what they do, the only thing left for them to work on is their value for money! This is why at various different times Broadland Balloons have some amazing special offers to tempt their customers! In fact, right now you can buy 2, any day champagne balloon flight gift vouchers on a very special deal indeed!

Buy 1 & get the second one half price! 2 of our Anyday flight vouchers for an unbeatable price!

With this offer, you can fly with us any day of the week from either Norfolk or Suffolk and the voucher is valid for 12 months from any date of your choosing! Each voucher includes;

• A 3-4 hour experience – not just a balloon flight!
• Full Pilot Briefing
• Invitation to assist with the preparation of the balloon
• Approximately 1 hour in the air
• Flight toasted in the traditional manner with a glass of Champagne or fruit juice!
• Personalised commemorative flight certificate signed and presented by the pilot
• Complimentary lift back to the launch site
• Optional in-flight photograph available
• Full insurance
• Just £250‼!
• Price shown is for two people – You will be joined by other passengers on your flight.

You can either book online, or simply call on 01603 495 004.

Today is Blue Monday which is said to be the most depressing day of the year. A concoction of a number of factors such as cold weather conditions, debt (thanks to Christmas), time elapsed since the happy time that is Christmas, the failing of New Year’s resolutions and generally low motivational levels all adds up to create this typically sorrowful day.  So why not break this gloomy cycle and make it the happiest day of the year yet?! Create your own National Hugging Day, we all know a hug releases endorphins which can make us happy, so why not spread the joy? Don’t fancy that, well you would always make sure that each 3^rd Monday of January you treat yourself to a nice big takeaway and a bottle of wine to put a smile on your face, or better still throw a party!

Here at Balloons Over Britain we have an even better idea; how about you book yourself an adventure to look forward to? You could be one click away from Hot Air Ballooning the New Year in; now there’s something to shout about. So when all your friends are confirming that yes indeed, their feeling the ‘blues’, you can show them your ballooning vouchers and exclaim that this has been the best day yet. Cheer up these long dark nights with the comfort of better things to come, with the knowledge that you have an experience of a lifetime to look forward to!

At Balloons Over Britain you can book a flight over a range of different locations from with our member companies, simply select the company who covers the area of your choice!

• Adventure Balloons – Berkshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, South Oxfordshire, London & Surrey.
• Aerosaurus Balloons – Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, South Somerset & Wiltshire
• Airborne Balloon Flights – Kent & Sussex
• Alba Ballooning – Edinburgh, Kinross, Scottish Borders & Northumberland
• Anglian Countryside Balloons – Essex
• Balloon Rides - Yorkshire & Lincolnshire
• Bailey Balloons - Bath, Bristol, North Somerset & South Wales
• The Ballooning Business - Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire & Northamptonshire
• Broadland Balloons - Norfolk & Suffolk
• Wickers World - Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire & Staffordshire

Or you can simply call us on 0845 071 6388 for more information and bookings.

Many people choose to book their summer holiday or summer adventure in January so that they have something to look forward too while they endure the cold harshness that winter brings and the miserable showers that seem so predictable and unforgiving in April. With the knowledge of a wonderful treat come summer time, the gloom of the winter months seems bearable!

This year with budgets stretched and pockets bare, maybe a summer holiday is a little extravagant financially, and besides, don’t you do that every year? High of many people’s ‘Top 10 Things To Do’ list is Hot Air Ballooning; they dream of taking off into the sky in a balloon however statistically, for many this dream isn’t realised. So it’s worth considering whether to go on that same beach holiday or skiing trip which you’ve done so many times before; you know what to expect, it’s certainly not a new experience and can you really afford it? When you have an alternative such as ballooning, an adventure which is guaranteed to be a new experience and a fulfilling ambition, why spend the extra on something you’ve done before?

With Aerosaurus we have the luxury of Britain’s most glorious countryside. With flight locations in Mid and East Devon, South Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire, and nationwide via our membership of Balloons Over Britain, you really can have your pick from some stunning scenery! You can feel confident in our wealth of experience; having flown over 60,000 passengers and with 23 years of piloting passenger balloon flights behind us, we are the west countries largest hot air balloon flight operator.  And don’t let age stop you, we’ve flown passengers as young as 7 years old and some as old as 100, so if you have the urge to fly, why not get in touch and find out more!

Large group bookings or small intimate ones, romantic sunset rides or exhilarating sunrise flights, birthday bookings or surprise proposals, whatever it is you want from your flight, we’re eager to please. Why not check out our site at www.ballooning.co.uk where you can view customer testimonials, take a look at our FAQ, read more about what to expect from your flight and even book your adventure! Alternatively call a member of our team on 01404 823 102 where we can answer your queries, send you details and even schedule your flight.

Are you experiencing the January Blues? For many people January can be a challenging time, for others it brings the incentive to begin in a brighter and more positive way! Well what better way to start 2012 and your new beginning than with an exhilarating and enlightening hot air balloon ride?! More to the point, who better to share this experience with than Bailey Balloons who boast not only a wealth of experience, but an untouchable safety record!

Bailey Balloons is run by Jo and Clive Bailey who such an obvious passion for ballooning that their reputation has spread far and wide. Clive has been Flight Director for the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta for ten years and Jo has been involved in ballooning and TV advertising including the recent Land Rover campaign flying a small one person balloon at night in Vancouver. Clive is also the BBC One Show pilot.

People come to Bailey Balloons because of our unique personalised service and our consistently friendly nature. Offering a complete 3-4 hour experience, not only will you fly with us, but you will also have the opportunity to help set up the balloon and take it down at the end, enjoying a celebratory champagne toast following the flight. With launch sites in Bristol, Bath , South Wales and of course at the fabulous Bristol Balloon Fiesta, just take your pick from any of our stunning locations! We even offer other unique services such as a weather checker on the day of your flight!

Looking to book a New Year Balloon Flight?

Our Gold anytime Balloon Flight Vouchers are now only £115!

Ride Vouchers from just £85 per person!

Simply book your flights online or call us on 01275 375300. Visit the site where you can browse our online availability whenever it suits you and book a date for your dream flight! Our great looking Flight Vouchers and passenger packs can be e-mailed within seconds of your online purchase or by Post to arrive the following day!

Ballooning first timer? Most of our customers are, so we thought to save you the suspense and answer all those questions on your mind, we’d tell you a little more about what to expect. Many of our customers are ordering balloon flights for Christmas presents at the moment and there are also a great deal thinking ahead and organising their Valentines surprise with plenty of notice to make it perfect; ballooning is known as the most romantic way to fly, after all. So what questions are we being overwhelmed with at the moment.

Firstly, most enquires are with regards to what to expect from their flight. Many are fearful of the takeoff and other of the landing, however there is no need for concern.

When you take off you will notice the ground dropping away, however you will not really notice a sensation of movement or rising. Many have described a feeling of peace and tranquillity once up in the air; this is heightened by the apparent lack of wind.  The balloon moves with the wind and so you will not experience windiness at all when you’re up! You can expect to climb to heights of approximately 3’000 foot; let your mind imagine what the world would look like from heights such as that, and nothing to obstruct your view!

Flights last for about an hour, and yes, you will enjoy a champagne toast, along with a certificate to commemorate your day! What’s more we encourage all of our passengers to help set up the balloon and dismantle it afterwards so that they can get a real feel for ballooning and enjoy a day of it, rather than just the flight.

You can expect your flight to take place either at sunset or sunrise as this is when the weather is at its calmest. Typically flights run from March to October, however some Balloons Over Britain operators will run flights outside of the typical ballooning season. Bear in mind, if the weather is not suitable for flying, then your flight will be cancelled. Simply phone to re-schedule in this case where we will make every possible step to ensure you fly at a date that is convenient for you.

Remember to wear clothing which is appropriate for country walks and the time of year, ideal clothes made of natural fibres. Another advisable item would be a hat or cap to protect your head from the heat of the burners. And please, ladies, you will be clambering through fields and over the balloon basket, so do wear trousers. We recommended sensible walking shoes or boots, preferably ones that are waterproof, as most flights take off from, and land in, a field. Finally bear in mind the limited space in the basket, so try to avoid bringing large rucksacks or bags.

The most common type of query we have is with regards to the safety of hot our ballooning. What we advise is that ballooning activities intrinsically involve the possibility of physical risks greater than those encountered in daily life, even though they are conducted under the supervision of commercial pilots who exercise all due precautions to ensure safety. By taking part in such ballooning activities passengers are understood to be fully aware of these risks. All Balloons Over Britain Operators are certified and regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and all the pilots hold full Commercial Pilot Licences. All operators carry combined single limit insurance to current European standards.

For more details, call us on 0845 071 6388.

At The Ballooning Business, you can enjoy a serene experience high in the sky like no other method of transport, with the assurance of our experience. Established since 1989, we are in fact one of the UK’s original balloon rides companies. We have launch sites in Northampton, Milton Keynes, Leicester, Bedford, Huntingdon and Banbury and offer flights in most cases at sunrise and sunset as this is when the weather is normally at its mildest.

You will enjoy your airborne adventure for approximately one hour over the location of your choice, so you know precisely what you are going to see and can have the camera at the ready for your first experience of seeing the stunning sights from a birds-eye view. You will be inspired at how different everything looks from a balloon and feel a sensation almost as if you were walking in the clouds; there’s really nothing quite like it!

Even thought the flight will last an hour, you must allow for approximately 3 hours as on the day in order to enjoy the full experience, you will help set up and dismantle the balloon, plus you will be rewarded with a champagne toast; it’s no wonder ballooning is seen as the most romantic way to fly! Imagine taking your loved one up in a balloon, a memory you will truly treasure forever, and as if it couldn’t get any better, you’ll then enjoy a glass of sparkling too, and in real crystal glassware! You know, many people choose this is as their opportunity to propose…

At the end of the flights you will be presented with a commemorative personalised flight certificate as a token to remember your day by and of course return transport to the launch site. But most importantly of all, you will have forever with you, the most amazing memories, and ones that will last a lifetime!

It doesn’t end their however, here at The Ballooning Business, during the Christmas week we’re offering Thursday morning flights for just £80! Yes, you heard that right – just call 01296 688772 for more information and bookings. But that’s not all…

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS OFFER – Buy any voucher now with just a £50 deposit before the 31^st December and you won’t have to pay the balance until the 31^st March 2012! Just our way of saying HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

In the spirit of New Year beginnings, Balloons Over Britain has a new face‼ The Balloons Over Britain website has most certainly had a makeover giving it a more modern feel, a fresher lift and an image which is certainly easier on the eye. Our customers are already happy with how easy it is to navigate this new site, plus it’s new look has installed a further sense of confidence in the companies professionalism. Why not nip across and take a look for yourself, we’d love to know what you think!

Furthermore, in the spirit of Christmas we’ve decided to offer our customers a little flexibility; we certainly won’t be accused of resembling Ebenezer Scrooge! Times are tough and we’re well aware of this. Coming up with the cash in time for Christmas, the gifts, the nice food and the general festivities, is an almost impossible task for most of us. So for our customers feeling the pinch this Christmas, why not take advantage of our wonderful Winter Offer!?

Instead of paying the total amount for your balloons flights vouchers up front, as our way of saying ‘Seasons Greetings!’ we’re offering you the chance to buy your vouchers now paying just £50 as a deposit, leaving the rest payable by 1^st April 2012! Now that’ll take the weight off! This offer is available by phone only – call us on 0845 071 6388 for more information and bookings.

So who’s the lucky recipient, could it be your partner, your friend, your son or daughter, your parent or your grandparent even? Whoever it is you’re treating this year, imagine their faces when they un-wrap their voucher! They’d have no idea you could afford such a wonderful surprise and will be thrilled to say the least, but why not give your gift the maximum ‘wow’ effect?

At Balloons Over Britain we offer a Balloon In a Box service creating the optimum gift for your friend or loved one. Sent by Royal Mail next day delivery, we can send you out a big candy-striped box which holds a helium balloon (available in various styles for you to choose). Attached to the balloon by ribbon they’ll find their ‘golden’ vouchers (please note, they’re not actually golden in colour) with a design of your choice. We even have Merry Christmas vouchers available at the moment. The idea is that when they open the box, out will float the balloon dangling temptingly the wonderful vouchers for the trip of a lifetime!

For more information, help with bookings or to discuss locations and date availability, please call on 0845 071 6388. Alternatively visit the site where you can book online, check dates and visit our member companies covering a wide selection of locations across Britain.