Frequently Asked Questions

The Flight

What time of day do flights take place?

Balloon flights take place approximately 1 hour after sunrise and 3 hours before sunset, and so the times vary throughout the year as the days get longer or shorter. In summer it can be 6am and 7pm, whilst in winter it’s more like 8am and 2pm! Balloons are not flown during the middle of the day because the sun heats the ground creating thermals and unstable flying conditions.

We’re available to fly every day except Christmas Day! However, ballooning is a highly weather dependent activity and therefore most flights occur from March to October.

The flight itself lasts roughly 60 minutes but could last as long as 90+ minutes, however please allow 3 to 4 hours for the whole adventure. It is not an experience to be rushed.

Balloons are directed by the wind and as a result we do not know how far we will go! To put it simply, if the wind is stronger, we will go further. On average we travel approximately 10 miles from our launch site.

There is no ‘best’ time as it is a totally personal preference! Frosty winter mornings are just as beautiful as warm summer evenings. Generally, flights are more likely to go ahead in spring, summer and autumn but they are not necessarily better!

Ballooning requires light winds, good visibility, dry weather and firm ground conditions in order to operate. Without these specific parameters it would be dangerous and irresponsible to go flying. If pilots cancel a flight, it is because they are putting your safety first.

When going ballooning you should dress for a countryside adventure. We recommend stout shoes or boots, long trousers and sleeves, and also a hat! This will help to protect your head from the heat of the burner. Please keep in mind that it is no colder in the balloon than on the ground, so you don’t always need your big coats in the summer months!

Yes! Bring your camera and plenty of memory card space! Please be aware that you are bringing these items at your own risk.

Balloons cannot be steered and every flight is different. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that we will fly in a particular direction, such as over your house or town.

Wherever the balloon lands, we are picked up by our ground crew. After the balloon has been packed away, we all travel back to the launch site by road and return you to your cars.

We don’t know! That’s part of the adventure – balloons cannot be steered and we never know where we are going to end up! Usually, we land in a farmer’s field or similar terrain.

The landing is the most unpredictable part of the flight but also the most exciting and often people’s favourite! Flying in a balloon is very serene and gentle whilst in the air, but when landing the basket occasionally tips or drags along before coming to a halt. This is perfectly normal and how balloons have landed for hundreds of years. You will be in a particular safety position (which will be demonstrated at the pre-flight safety briefing) in a basket specially designed for commercial balloon flight passengers.

Spectators are more than welcome to watch the balloon launch, but do not need to follow the balloon, but it’s not discouraged to follow as this is also quite fun. If you are not collected once we land, you will be transported back to the launch site by our team.

We fly from a variety of launch sites across Norfolk and Suffolk.

We meet at the designated launch site around 30 minutes before take-off. You are more than welcome to arrive earlier than this to watch the team prepare the balloon. The exact meeting time will be confirmed to you prior to your flight.

At a prearranged time prior to your flight, we will call you to let you know either way. These times set out in your booking information.

Your Booking

What happens if my flight is cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled then simply rebook another date through our website or calling the office. Many passengers fly on their first attempt, and most fly within a few, but if you are unlucky enough to have 4 attempts postponed by the weather then we are happy to extend your voucher for a further 12 months.

Our vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase or gift date.

We request at least 3 working days’ notice if you wish to reschedule your flight date, so just give our office a call or drop us an email! We will make exceptions at shorter notice for extenuating and extreme circumstances, such as medical emergencies – in which case we would require documentation from your doctor.

We have a dedicated page regarding refunds, so please see our Voucher Refund Policy for more details.

We suggest booking 2 to 3 weeks in advance to guarantee a specific date. For more popular dates such as weekends, bank holidays or school holidays please allow more than 3 weeks. However, if you require a specific date sooner, please call the office and we will do our best to accommodate you.

The Balloon

How many people are in the basket?

Our basket carries 2-5 passengers, we’ve kept it this small to keep it exclusive and more personal than flying with14-15 strangers.

As is the case with most balloon baskets around the world, our baskets do not have doors. Instead, we require you to climb into the basket, which is fairly similar to climbing over a farm gate. Climbing into the basket requires some agility, but assistance may be given to those who require it.

Restrictions & Safety

Is there an age restriction?

Those who fly with us need to be 9 years old or older, for safety reasons. All passengers must also be at least 140cm tall. This is to ensure their safety and enjoyment of the flight. All passengers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Due to the weight and space restrictions of balloon baskets, passengers in excess of 20 stone (approx 125kg) may be required to pay a supplement. Please contact our office to discuss your options before booking.

We recognise that some disabilities present greater difficulties than others with regards to ballooning. Our team are committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are given the opportunity to fly and therefore we request that you inform us of any disabilities when booking so that we can do our best to meet the passenger’s needs. Unfortunately, for safety reasons, we are unable to fly anyone who is confined to a wheelchair.

If you have any medical conditions or have recently received surgery it is best to check with your doctor that you are fit to fly. It is important that you inform us of any medical or physical conditions that could affect your safety or the safety of your fellow passengers.

Ballooning requires a small degree of physical flexibility. You must be able to climb in and out of the basket using the footholds which is comparable to climbing over a farm gate. Assistance may be given by our crew to those who need it. You must also be able to stand for the duration of the 60-to-90-minute flight.

Unfortunately, you cannot fly if you are pregnant. If you find out you are pregnant during the validity of your voucher then please contact our office and we will happily extend it accordingly.

Ballooning is extremely safe and is heavily regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority. However, ballooning activities intrinsically involve the possibility of physical risks greater than those encountered in everyday life, even though they are conducted under the supervision of commercial pilots who exercise all due precautions to ensure safety. By partaking in such ballooning activities passengers are understood to be fully aware of these risks.

We carry insurance cover for any legal liability we may be found to have to you for any injury you may sustain, or for damage sustained by your belongings during the course of the flight, or when embarking or disembarking. However, English law in some circumstances sets maximum limits on our legal liability to you that you might deem inadequate to compensate any loss. In this scenario you may wish to consider getting your own additional insurance.