Frequent Questions

Ballooning is an interactive activity where audience participation is encouraged. You'll be invited to help with the setup and pack away of the balloon. It’s an active time spent outdoors.

• Closed-toe footwear is mandatory. Do not wear high heels, flip-flops, or open-toe shoes. Please note that you may be walking in wet and muddy fields, so wear sturdy shoes you don't mind getting a little dirty.

• We suggest clothing appropriate for a walk in the country, considering the weather on the day of your flight, along with a cap to protect your head from the radiant heat of the burners.

• Typically, it won’t be colder in the air during the flight than it is on the ground, so wear layered clothing that can be removed as the morning warms up or added as the evening cools down.

• Ensure your pockets have zips to keep personal items secure.

• Scarves, headscarfs or shawls are not permitted to be worn during the balloon inflation or flight for safety reasons.

• Bags are not permitted on the balloon, you can leave them in the ground crew vehicle during your flight.

• We provide a complimentary drink after your flight. If you’d like to enjoy a drink while in the air, this is permitted, but only in cans (e.g. canned wine, gin & tonic, or similar). For safety reasons, glass bottles and glasses are not allowed on board, and we kindly ask that you do not bring red wine.

Whilst there is no maximum age limit for ballooning, a child under the age of 7 years is not able to fly with us due to safety regulations.

Yes, all our experiences include complete ground and flight insurance. You can read more about our safety and operational procedures here.

For safety reasons related to weight-to-volume ratios, we’re unable to accommodate passengers over 18 stone (115 kg) on shared flights, unless a weight supplement is applied. This requires purchasing two flight vouchers, allowing us to adjust passenger numbers to maintain a safe and comfortable experience for everyone.

Unfortunately, for safety reasons, we cannot fly you at any stage of pregnancy. If you become pregnant during your voucher's validity, you can extend your voucher via your customer portal, or alternatively, WhatsApp, email, or call the office to arrange. Extensions cost £25 per person for 6 months or £50 per person for 12 months.

Terms & Conditions

You must not fly if you are suffering from any significant medical condition or if you have recently undergone major surgery. We would advise you to first talk to your doctor if you are concerned.

We require you to tell us about any medical or physical conditions that could be considered to affect your safety or the safety of others.

Terms & Conditions

Generally, anyone can partake in ballooning. You need to be able to climb in and out the basket, stand unassisted for about an hour, and be able to bend your knees briefly to absorb the impact. Passengers must be able to fully understand and follow all instructions provided by the pilot. Non-English speakers are welcome, but please let us know in advance so we can ensure clear communication.

Our balloon basket features a door for easy entry and exit, though its use may sometimes be restricted due to conditions. We will always do our best to make it accessible for those who need it. During the flight, you’ll be standing in the basket, which provides good support with both a front and back to lean on. While most landings are soft, bumpy landings do occur. If you are concerned, we recommend you consult your doctor.

In the event of a flight cancellation, you will receive a notification via SMS and/or email. This message will include a link to your customer portal, where you can easily view available slots and select a new date for your experience. Alternatively, you can contact us via WhatsApp, email, or by calling the office to reschedule.

Any Day shared vouchers are valid for 24 months, and all other vouchers are valid for 18 months. All our vouchers require six genuine flight attempts to qualify for a free extension.

We offer a refundable option for some flights. This must be selected at checkout and entitles you to a full refund for the value of your flight (excluding the cost of the refundable option) in the event of weather cancellations only. Without this option, your voucher is non-refundable under any cancellations.

Terms & Conditions

Ideally we require light winds, good visibility, dry weather and firm ground conditions.

Please note that weather conditions are inherently complex, and while the day may appear calm and clear, this does not necessarily indicate that it is suitable or safe for ballooning. Our decisions are informed by detailed, aviation-specific forecasts that provide critical information, including wind speed and direction at various altitudes, thermal activity and intensity, sea breeze patterns, atmospheric stability and wind shear, among many other factors. We meticulously evaluate all of these elements, and more, to ensure the safety and feasibility of each flight.

We would not fly you in marginal or unsafe weather conditions.

We aim to contact you by 16:00 the day before your flight to confirm whether it will proceed, as well as the meeting time and location. Please note that this may sometimes be as late as 22:00 the night before a morning flight or as late as 16:00 on the day of an evening flight.

We aim to contact everyone with as much notice as operational procedures allow.

*If you are traveling long distances or booking hotels specifically for ballooning, we strongly recommend contacting us two days prior to your departure and choosing accommodations with a flexible cancellation policy.

We really regret having to cancel and rearrange flights as we know the disappointment that comes with it for our guests. However, your safety is our top priority and our duty of care is to operate in a safe manner.

Hot air ballooning is weather dependent so your flight can be cancelled if the weather does not make it safe to fly you. Additionally, flights may be dependent on mechanical performance or staffing availability. Similarly, a trip may be postponed due to less than minimum numbers being achieved.

As a commercial balloon operator we do not fly in marginal or unsafe weather conditions.

Terms & Conditions

As a commercial balloon operator we do not base our decision to fly on what other balloonists are doing. All our pilots are very experienced commercial balloon pilots and make their decision to fly on specific aviation forecasting and experience.

The safe operating limits for commercial ballooning are far more stringent than that of private flying.

• Up to 5 days before your flight: You may change or postpone your flight at no charge.

• Within 5 days of your flight: A £25 per person fee applies for any changes or cancellations.

• Within 48 hours of your flight date: No changes or cancellations can be made.

To make any changes to your booking, please use your customer portal, where you can add guests, change passenger details, and reschedule your flight. Alternatively, you can WhatsApp or Email us with your request, or contact our office during business hours.

Terms & Conditions

We offer a refundable option for some flights. This option must be selected at the time of checkout and entitles you to a full refund for the value of your flight, excluding the cost of the refundable option itself, in the event of weather cancellations only. Without this option, your voucher is non-refundable under any circumstances.

Absolutely no refunds will be issued more than six months after the original purchase date, regardless of flight attempts made.

Terms & Conditions

To redeem your gift voucher, please click “Redeem Voucher” when booking and enter your voucher reference. You can then select the location, date, and time, and add passenger details.

Any Day shared vouchers are valid for 24 months, and all other vouchers are valid for 18 months. Our voucher validity periods are generally much more generous than those of our competitors, giving you plenty of time to book and enjoy your flight.

Please note, with all vouchers, you must have booked onto at least 6 flights that have been postponed by us during the validity of your voucher in order to have it extended by a further 6 months.

Terms & Conditions

Yes! Please email us and include the person you’re gifting/selling the voucher/ticket to, along with their full name, mobile & email advising the transfer of ownership.

Changes made up to five days before a booked flight are free of charge. However, if you request a change within five days of a booked flight, a £25 per person fee will apply. No changes can be made within 48 hours of a booked flight.

If you are unsure when and even where you would like to fly, you can purchase a flight voucher. You will then have access to your customer portal where you can pick a location and book a flight. You will also receive short-notice flight availability updates if selected during booking.

All our flights are subject to availability which is live on our website. To secure a date it is best to book as far in advance as possible. However, we do often have last minute availability which can be booked as late as 8 hours before the flying slot, either on the website or by calling the office on 01823 778127.

To add additional guests to your booking, please either select the “Add Guest” button in your customer portal, or contact us via WhatsApp, email, or by calling the office. Please note that spaces are subject to availability, so it is best to contact us as soon as possible.

Yes, Any Day and Flexible Weekday vouchers are transferable across all locations. Weekday Morning vouchers can also be transferred, but they must be upgraded first.

Changes made up to five days before a booked flight are free of charge. If you request a change within five days, a £25 per person fee will apply. No changes can be made within 48 hours of a booked flight.

To change your flight location, please use your customer portal. Alternatively, you can WhatsApp, email, or call the office.

All our private experiences operate on a deposit basis. To secure your booking, a 20% deposit is required. A few days prior to your scheduled flight, you will receive a payment link to settle the remaining balance.

Please note that we reserve the right to charge the card on file within 48 hours of your flight if the balance has not been paid in full.

Yes, you can arrange to pay in installments. The final payment is due no later than 2 weeks before your flight.

Green: Our two main launch sites in each shared flight flying area.

Blue: A selection of our launch sites across the south west. These maybe used for any private flights or sometimes as a back up to a shared flight launch site.

If you would like to fly from your own property or have an area in mind, please contact us to arrange. (Private experiences only).

All balloon flights take place either in the morning or evening and are dependent on sunrise and sunset times. Arrival times will vary throughout the year. In the mornings we can meet as early as 5:00 to as late as 8:30 or in the evenings as early as 16:00 and as late as 18:30.

Our live booking calendar shows the meeting time for each flying slot throughout the year.

We schedule flights from March 1st to October 31st, operating morning and evening, seven days a week, weather permitting. We fly as much - if not more - than any other balloon company in the UK when measured per balloon or pilot, averaging between 100 and 140 flights each season.

We unfortunately cannot guarantee that we will fly in any particular direction due to the weather dependancy of hot air ballooning. With our private experiences we do offer the opportunity to fly from your own property or a specific area, please contact us to arrange.

Usual flying height is anywhere between 500ft and 5000ft. Your pilot will vary the height to give you a well rounded experience. The true magic of hot air ballooning is often flying low and traversing the countryside something that we love to do when it is safe to do so.

You can expect to be with us for around 3.5 - 4 hours. This includes setting up, the balloon flight, packing up, a complimentary drink and driving back to original meeting location. The balloon flight lasts for around 1 hour.

Terms & Conditions

After the flight Fly Away Ballooning will return you to the original meeting location approx 3 - 4 hours later.

Balloons travel with the wind so each balloon flight varies depending on the wind speed. You could fly a relatively short distance or perhaps as far as 20 miles.

As balloons can’t be steered in the traditional sense you’re never quite sure where you will land. The destination is irrelevant, the adventure is everything! Your pilot will be looking for suitable landing spots after 50 minutes.

More often than not the landings are calm and gentle but sometimes on landing the basket can tip and/or drag along before coming to rest. This is how balloons have been landing for over 200 years and is perfectly normal. The landings are exciting and many people say it is their favourite part of the flight.

Sure, bring your friends or family along to watch but please advise them that there may be no lavatories or other facilities on the launchsite. They are also not to drive onto our launch or landing fields.

Clear crisp winter mornings are just as beautiful as warm summer evenings. Generally flights are more likely to go ahead in spring, summer and autumn. It is totally personal preference so there is no 'best' time!

Unlike our competitors who fly balloons carrying up to 16 passengers we fly smaller balloons that carry a maximum of 8. This makes for a much more personal ballooning experience allowing all onboard to have a more enjoyable, fun and comfortable flight in a far less commercial way.

You climb in and out of the balloon by the foot holes in the basket.

Our new balloon basket features a door for easy entry and exit, though its use may sometimes be restricted due to conditions. We will always do our best to make it accessible for those who need it.