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.

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.

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 shopping around for the perfect ballooning experience? You’ll be looking at cost, duration of flight, choice of locations, available dates, safety records and pilot experience. Some ballooning companies do not offer up all the information you need to make an informed decision, however here at Wickers World we’re proud to tell you everything there is to know about us. Take a look at our Buyers Guide for help and advice about choosing your hot air balloon ride provider.

1. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, check how often the company flies its balloons in your chosen location! – Many companies advertise many different launch sites; however fail to mention that they rarely, if ever, fly from those sites. In many cases they don’t have anywhere near as many balloons as they have venues to fly from, and the result is that customers get a limited service. Worse still, some companies sell extensive quantities of vouchers yet don’t fly anything like the number of passengers that they book! Sadly, some never get to fly at all.

A tell tale sign would be if you noticed that these companies do not allow you to see their flight schedule, or if they only allow you to see it AFTER you’ve already bought your voucher! With Wickers World you can see what we have booked for the next month or two by clicking on the ‘book date’ button. In fact, Wickers World makes more flights, and carries more passengers, than any other operator in this region. To illustrate, in the last 12 months, our balloons have made hundreds of flights from our venues across Staffordshire, Cheshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Shropshire and Herefordshire – just like the year before, and the year before that, and so on.

1. Ask how many balloons the company operates at the same time – If say a company has eighty launch sites to cover, but only a dozen balloons, you may find that it’s difficult to get the flight you want, when you want it! You must make sure that you ask these questions, otherwise the chance are nobody will tell you! On the other hand, here at Wickers World we have flights scheduled every day (except Christmas!) from our areas of Derbyshire, Cheshire/Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire/Herefordshire and Warwickshire/Gloucestershire. Plus last year we were out flying in December and January when many other operators don’t even bother to fly at all! Thanks to our dedication, we fly approximately 6000 passengers every year!
2. Impersonal call centre, or a local family business? – As we’re a family business we’re able to offer that extra personal communication. When calling our offices, you’re as likely to speak to one of the pilots as you are to one of our reservations team! So when you call in looking for information, or local advice, our team are on hand to help and highly experienced and expert at everything we do! We have been doing it for over 21 years after all!
3. You want value for money, don’t you? – If you check our competitors advertised flight durations, you’ll find that most of them are offering flights of about (or ‘approximately’) one hour. Does that mean 40 minutes? 50 minutes? The not knowing leaves us feeling concerned about what we’re actually getting for our money! At Wickers World, our flights are GUARANTEED to be AT LEAST one hour in duration, and are regularly closer to an hour and a half! So if you think about it, how much has that free gift or glass of cheap ‘bubbly’ actually cost you, if you only get 40 minutes in the air?
4. Price Promise – If you find an equivalent flight service for less, from a company based within 50 miles of us, we’ll beat the price by £5! It’s that simple! Just call us on (01889) 88 22 22.

We all have friends who are dear to our hearts; however there are always a few who are like family to us, who we just couldn’t be without. Many of us go on holiday with those friends (if we can get away from the kids), and those of us who cannot, make do with snatched moments such as coffee mornings, weekends away with the kids or sharing a bottle (or two) over a natter or a movie. But have you ever wanted to do something a little more special, something which each of you would remember and treasure forever? Often sharing a unique moment can bond friendships and relationships even stronger, and when you’re concerned about the possibility of strain on the friendship, such as a move, new career, a child even; marking your friendship with a momentous event can give you something indestructible.

Why not consider the idea of sharing a hot air balloon experience with your closest friends? Are you about to move away, or your friend and your scared the friendship will dwindle away? Maybe your friend is about to be married and you’d like remind them of the friendship you all share? Whatever the scenario is, at Balloon Over Britain we offer you exclusive balloon rides for two and exclusive rides for 4! Our Sunrise Exclusive for 4 package includes:

• Exclusive flight for four persons
• Excellent for exclusive parties, friend days out, celebrations and even for proposals, weddings, anniversaries, special occasions and promotion!
• Includes full colour gift voucher valid for 12 calendar months, passenger insurance, Champagne toast and presentation of flight certificate & return transport to the take off site.
• Weekday mornings (excluding Bank Holidays)
• Maximum passenger weight 12 stone/75kg average (each)
• Widest selection of launch sites across the UK.
• £899.00! (was £999 – You save £100!)

Our locations cover Bath, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bristol, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Sussex, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire and Monmouthsire.

Did you know that Bailey Balloons are not only leaders in the hot air ballooning world, but also specialise in aerial filming! Using a selection of hot air balloons, blimps and micro helicopters, Bailey Balloons are able to capture some of the most gripping footage!

Clive and Jo Bailey thrive on adventure and love a new challenge, so when given the idea of aerial filming, it was clear it would be an area they would be passionate about. What’s more, they now have quite a few experiences they may like to brag about! For example, they recently flew Jamie Oliver for Jamie’s Great Britain (his latest TV series) from Ashton Court in Bristol. Boasting further celebrity passengers such as Ant & Dec for Britain’s Got Talent where they filmed from a helicopter circling a Union Jack Balloon!

The plot thickens as television ad’s star our very own Jo Bailey, like for example the LandRover ad where she flew a one person cloud hopper balloon in Vancouver over the Canadian Rockies under the blanket of the night sky; certainly an experience she won’t be forgetting any time soon!

If there’s ever a balloon company to trust yourself in the hands of, it’s Bailey Balloons. Picking up four awards in 2011, Bailey Balloons are most certainly deserved of their multiple awards; they were even presented with one by HRH Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace!  And if Royalty aren’t convincing enough, how about the BBC? Bailey Balloons even operate the One Show Balloon and have filmed some breathtaking footage across the UK including g the beautiful tulip fields of Norfolk!

It really couldn’t be simpler to enjoy some of Bailey Balloons action yourself. You can call us for more information or for bookings on 01275 375 300, or you can visit us online where you’ll find everything you need to know about us at your finger tips, along with a quick and easy booking facility where you will find flight vouchers for as little as £85 per person. You must have many unanswered questions, so go ahead and find out more!

Imagine how peaceful, how perfect a hot air balloon ride for two over your choice location in Leeds, Kent or Sussex would be. You and your special someone could gracefully rise up into the sunrise, or the sunset (it’s up to you) and drift with the wind over some of Britain’s most breathtaking countryside and idyllic landscapes. Maybe there’s a special date ahead that you’d like to mark in a memorable way, or you simply need that perfect ‘together time’. Either way, at Airborne Balloon Flights, we can offer you just that.

You can experience the peace and tranquillity of a balloon flight over the exquisite Kent and Sussex countryside for yourself with simply a click of the mouse or a straight forward phone call. We’re always on hand to answer your questions here, so if you’d like to know more before you commit, come on over and let us walk you through it. 01622 873200

Our exclusive balloon takes just 2 passengers into the sky and includes the services of one of our highly experienced pilots and our friendly and helpful ground crew.

We like to go the extra mile at Airborne Balloons and so if you feel your exclusive flight would be better from your own grounds, just let us know! We would be happy to fly you from your land or a preferred nearby location (subject to suitability), from the grounds of one of our partner hotels, or one of our usual launch sites, the choice is ultimately yours.

The unique 3 hour experience will include a pre-flight chic champagne celebration, a momentous flight of approximately one hour and an in-flight photograph taken of you during the flight; something for you to remember the day.

You can have all this for just £695.00 per balloon!

Flights available Mon – Sun A.M. and P.M.

Have you ever wondered how the hot air balloon works? Maybe you’ve taken a flight with us and it’s inspired you to learn more? Have you ever dreamed of flying in a hot air balloon and would like the chance to learn how to fly one yourself? Well here at Aerosaurus Balloons we’re offering you the opportunity to do just that. We’re proud to teach and promote Hot Air Ballooning and so if you’ve ever had a balloon flight with us and been left feeling intrigued, then why not contact us to find out more?!

In order to obtain a PPL (B) Balloon Pilots license you need to have completed the following:

• Minimum of 16hrs logged.
• Minimum of 4 Flights with a British Balloon and Airship Club (BBAC) approved instructor.
• Complete a 30 minute tethered flight, watched and approved by a BBAC qualified instructor.
• Undertaken and passed all 5 exams: Aviation Law, Navigation, Meteorology, Ballooning Systems and Human Performance. These usually take place in Bristol.
• Attended a Landowner Relations Seminar.
• Completed all the above within 24 months.

Your can be instructed and have logged flights with any balloon pilot as long as they hold a full UK PPL(B) license. You can use one of our commercial pilots (who is also an instructor), or a choice of several other West country (mainly Bristol area) based instructors for your instructor flights. So that you can start logging your flights you will need your Training Log and Pilots Log Book. These can both be purchased via Pooleys or Aerosaurus and are used to record every flight you do. Your Training Log is used to record any advice given and notes from the pilot who you were training with for each flight.

At Aerosaurus we will be more than happy to train you directly, from start to finish. Please remember however; we are subject to British weather and so you may experience delays from time to time. It is also worth taking into consideration that you may need to fit this around your full time job. If this is the case, you must allow 12 months to complete the course. The more spare time you have, the faster you will get through your graduation.

Our fees:

• 12 hours minimum flight time at £220 per hour to include provision of balloon, training pilot, insurance, retrieve vehicle & balloon trailer, ground crew, propane, farmers wine – £2,640
• 4 hours as above but with BBAC Instructor @ £250 per hour – £1000
• Tethered flight and instruction with BBAC Instructor – £200
• BBAC Examiner recommendation flight – £270
• BBAC Examiner flight – £270
• Any additional hours with a training pilot in addition to the minimum 16 hours as above – £220 p/h
• Witnessed ‘Solo’ flight – £200
• Aerosaurus Pilot Training Manual – Free
• Exam Fees – Free
• 5hrs Ground School (£20 per hour thereafter) – Free

At Countryside Balloons we have various different launch sites in Essex as we must avoid controlled airspace such as that around Stansted airport. Therefore we have sites in the Chelmsford, Billericay and Brentwood area, Braintree, Colchester and Kelvedon. Thanks to the East coast, we have other natural obstacles too and so we have a variety of launch sites to choose from around the Essex countryside that best suit the flying conditions and wind direction on the day of the flight. Worry not however, we can assure you that these sites are easy to find and have ample free parking. We’ve found that by having a large selection of take off sites throughout Essex we are better able to provide an enjoyable, scenic and safe balloon flight that lasts for a pleasing duration!

We have many balloon flight dates available throughout March with the next available date as early as Saturday March 17^th! However, and more importantly, we have AVAILABLE SPACES for flight this Mothering Sunday March 18^th! It’s not too late to book your mums surprise flight gift; get in touch with us online where you can make bookings and find out all you need to know including dates, specific launch sites and directions, FAQ’s and more. You can of course call us to make your booking on 01621 786777 where are team will be happy to assist.

Did you know that you can even book a flight for Easter! Although you may not be able to participate in any Easter egg hunts from 3,000 feet in the air, it would be a wonderful way to mark the occasion, and certainly an Easter to remember! This Easter Sunday falls on the 8^th April and we have flights spaces available for 17:45pm! For a full list of spaces, take a look at our flight dates online.

Please remember to come dressed for the occasion; and no I don’t mean in Easter bunny suits. You will be thousands of miles in the air, so ladies (and gents?), no skirts please! We highly recommend that you wear sensible trainers or boots, no heels, as you will be walking through dewy grass. We’d also like to recommend that you try to wear natural fibres and also, due to the radiant heat of the burners, we advise you wear cotton caps. Dress for the time of year, you won’t be any colder in the air than you are on the ground, the balloon moves with the wind and so you won’t experience and cold gusts!

When you were a child, do you remember travelling along those country lanes, on the way to visit family, or on an outing of some kind? Do you remember gazing out of the window of the family car, looking up wondrously at hot air balloons from time to time? It never felt like an achievable thing as a child, I suppose it was as if it wasn’t real at all. Personally I never thought I would travel in a hot air balloon one day! It really was just a dream, however fun to gaze at none the less! But here I am 28 and finally realising that this really doesn’t have to be a dream at all. In fact the price of ballooning isn’t as much as you might think! So I have decided that I am going to book a flight for my daughter and I, for her eleventh birthday this August and we’re both ecstatic about it! It really couldn’t be simpler and the cost is as much as a weekend camping trip, pretty much!

If you go to Balloons Over Britain we have a range of balloon flight operators who launch flights from various locations across the UK. All you need to do is decide on the location and it will take you directly to the covering flight operator. All of our members are certified and regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and all the pilots hold full Commercial Pilot Licences, plus all operators carry combined single limit insurance to current European standards.

Typically flights start at as little as £85 per person and for this you will have the opportunity to help set up the balloon ready for flight, learning about how it works and how the pilot navigates and a beautiful hours flight thousands of feet up in the air over the destination of your choice. When the balloon lands you can toast the day with a glass of bubbly with the pilot and other passengers (if there are any) and you will be presented with a flight certificate to commemorate your day. Although we advise you to bring your camera’s to create your own album of memories, you will be given the opportunity to purchase in flight photo’s if you choose.

For more information, bookings, date availability and advise, please call us on 0845 071 6388 or visit us online at www.balloonsoverbritain.co.uk.