A very prompt and helpful service from both Jean and Shaun. My partner having booked the balloon experience for my 60th birthday then lost all his passwords/logins etc….. Having emailed with numer... Toon meer
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Had our flight yesterday evening from Bakewell after 3 years of waiting. Honestly, it is so worth the wait. Yes it's super frustrating having flights cancelled but just keep persevering, you will g... Toon meer
Flight cancelled YET again, this goes on year after year, we even purchased extra booking costs for wknds, sometimes sitting up till midnight to be told cancelled yet again, all this company does is... Toon meer
It was excellent. You get to watch and even help with the inflation and deflation of the balloon and a glass of bubbly with a certificate at the end of your flight. I was somewhat apprehensive but apa... Toon meer
Bedrijfsgegevens
Geschreven door het bedrijf
Virgin Balloon Flights is the largest commercial hot air balloon rides company in the UK and has been taking passengers up, up and away on the airborne experience of a lifetime since 1994.
Contactgegevens
Jesson House, TF3 3BD, Telford, Shropshire, Verenigd Koninkrijk
- 01952 212750
- customerservice@virginballoonflights.co.uk
- www.virginballoonflights.co.uk
4,5
Uitstekend
5K reviews
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A very prompt and helpful service from…
A very prompt and helpful service from both Jean and Shaun. My partner having booked the balloon experience for my 60th birthday then lost all his passwords/logins etc….. Having emailed with numerous queries both were very helpful and prompt in their responses. Nothing was too much. Our flights are now booked and looking forward to the experience.
17 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Fantastic Experience
Had our flight yesterday evening from Bakewell after 3 years of waiting. Honestly, it is so worth the wait. Yes it's super frustrating having flights cancelled but just keep persevering, you will get there. When you're up there you will fully appreciate the reasons why the weather conditions are so important.
We had notifications on for last minute spots and that ended up being our lucky time.
The experience itself is amazing, you can watch and help out with the inflation/deflation of the balloon. Tom our pilot was extremely knowledgeable and friendly and the ground team Reece and Bryn (sorry if these are spelt wrong!) were great.
Thank you all for such a brilliant experience!
14 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
It was excellent
It was excellent. You get to watch and even help with the inflation and deflation of the balloon and a glass of bubbly with a certificate at the end of your flight. I was somewhat apprehensive but apart from the comedy of me trying to get in and out of the basket (I am only 5' 2") as soon as we left the ground it was brilliant.
14 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Flight cancelled YET again
Flight cancelled YET again, this goes on year after year, we even purchased extra booking costs for wknds, sometimes sitting up till midnight to be told cancelled yet again, all this company does is take people's money over and over!!, without enough flights to cover,!!! Then they tell you your voucher is not valid because it's out dated,, all through them cancelling constantly, and obviously no refunds!! Again because it's gone on to long ,,, so you've got to argue for yet another extension,. then the usual excuse will come about safety, it's all about money and how much they can take without supplying and certainly not refunding.SAVE YOUR MONEY PEOPLE DO NOT PURCHASE FLIGHTS OFF THIS S### SHOW !!!
11 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Virgin understood our problem
Virgin replied immediately with understanding and resolved our query in a generous manner.
8 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Carol,
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! 🎈😊
We’re really pleased to hear that our team was able to understand your situation and help resolve things quickly for you. We always aim to listen, be fair, and support our customers wherever we can, so it’s wonderful to know you felt looked after.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience, it truly means a lot to the team.
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
Very helpful
10 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Janet,
Thank you so much for your lovely review! It's really appreciated!
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
I wouldn't book this balloon adventure
I purchased two air balloon tickets for my friend and I over two years ago. She has since moved over a year ago. She is no longer able to do the flight. Leaving me with the two tickets for myself. Before she left I had booked the experience at least ten times, each time it was cancelled. Moving forward, I booked one of the two tickets for a flight. A day before the flight was scheduled I had a serious family emergency. I contacted Virgin and explained in full why I wouldn't be able do the flight. I was expecting Virgin to be supportive and help by letting me cancel the booking. Particularly as it was for a very serious reason. How did Virgin react? They said that I had not given enough notice, if the flight didn't go ahead then they would let me rebook, but l couldn't cancel regardless of the reason. HOWEVER, Apparently the flight went ahead (I doubt it did) as no other flights had taken off on any of my bookings and still are not going ahead, some thirty odd attempts.So l lost my money. I now have one ticket left. I have booked this ticket probably twenty times, each time its cancelled. Last week we all turned up, the closest ever I came to flying, only for it to be cancelled. This is why I do not think the other flight went ahead, it seems a bit convenient and obviously l can't prove either way. Even if it did go ahead I expected Virgin to understand, given the times they had cancelled on me and the nature of my family emergency. I wont go too much into it but it involved my grandson and a family member being abhorrent. He needed me there and then so l had to go. I am still trying to get up in the air. I have spoken to many people who have been trying to book for years and years. One lady said this experience has been on Rip off Britain. I haven't seen it myself, but she went on to tell me that she had been trying for over five years to fly with over 23 cancelled. Virgin will not refund the money and obviously not help if you have a family emergency. I do understand weather conditions but the company are just so unhelpful.
1 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Sandy,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
We’re genuinely sorry to read how disappointed and frustrated you feel following your journey with us, and we were also very sorry to hear about the difficult family circumstances you experienced at the time of one of your flight bookings.
We completely appreciate that repeated weather-related cancellations can become exhausting and disappointing over time, particularly where plans have been made around anticipated flight dates. Balloon flights are unfortunately uniquely weather dependent and flights only operate when conditions are safe.
We also understand from your review that there was concern that the booked flight may not have operated. After reviewing the booking records and previous correspondence, we can confirm that the flight connected to the voucher in question did proceed as scheduled. We also appreciate that, following our later correspondence, you kindly acknowledged there may have been some confusion around this at the time and accepted that the flight had in fact gone ahead.
While we weren’t able to approve a late cancellation request due to the booking conditions that apply to attended flights, we did continue corresponding with you afterwards regarding available options and support for your remaining voucher.
Reading your review, we understand that your disappointment seems to stem less from the weather cancellations themselves and more from feeling that greater flexibility and understanding could have been shown during an exceptionally difficult personal situation. We are sorry that this was how the experience felt.
Thank you for taking the time to leave your honest feedback.
Best wishes,
Virgin Balloon Flights Team 🎈
Hard to get refund after many cancellations
I received hot air balloon vouchers 4 years ago, but each time I booked, the journey was cancelled.
This was very frustrating because I would plan my work day accordingly and have to wait until midnight the night before to learn that it will be cancelled even though the weather seemed fine to me. In order to increase my chances, I ended up adding evenings and weekends but still all were cancelled. I was told that this is common and only after 10 cancellations will my request for refund be considered. Furthermore, my tickets expired because I stopped trying and my wife said that she was not interested anymore. Ultimately, I was told that if the next flight is cancelled I could apply for a credit note (without any guarantee that I will get it). I think this is unfair and unacceptable as the cancellations are not my responsibility.
1 februari 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi there,
Thank you for your review however we cannot locate your account. We have requested further information from you so that we can review this and respond appropriately.
That said, balloon flights are unfortunately one of the most weather-dependent experiences there is, and pilots make decisions based not only on local conditions but also wind speed and direction at altitude, landing conditions, visibility, forecast confidence and safety margins. That can sometimes mean a flight is cancelled even when the weather appears suitable from the ground. However we appreciate this doesn't alleviate the disappointment for our customers and, for this, we do sincerely apologise.
We look forward to hearing from you with the requested information in due course.
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Stuart,
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback 😊
That’s really kind of you to say! We’re so pleased we could help and that you found the service quick and useful.
Your 5-star feedback really does mean a lot and we’ll make sure it’s passed on 🎈
If there’s ever anything else we can help with, just give us a shout, we’re always happy to help.
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
My father couldnt make his dying wish…
My father couldnt make his dying wish that I hoped for him and me. No refund possible. Put me back to the original booking agent to no effect. Some sympathy expressed but you ain't getting a refund from us 😐. Why use other agencies to promote and then pull out from as an excuse?
2 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Clare,
Firstly, we are genuinely sorry to read your review and to hear about your Father. We can appreciate how upsetting it must be that the experience you had hoped to share together was ultimately not possible.
We would just like to clarify one point, as we never wanted to leave the impression that we were unwilling to help.
As explained in our previous email correspondence on a few occasions, your vouchers were originally purchased through Balloons over Britain, who were the retailer and original contracting party for the purchase. Because of this, we were unfortunately unable to process a refund directly ourselves, as we did not receive payment for the original voucher.
That said, we did try to assist where possible and offered to transfer your vouchers back to Balloons Over Britain so that you could discuss the options available directly with them, especially given the exceptional circumstances regarding your Father. This is outside of our usual policy but we tried to help given the circumstances.
We are sorry this was not the outcome you had hoped for and fully appreciate this has been an emotional situation. We did try to support you within the limits of what we were able to do.
We wish you and your family all the very best and once again apologise for any frustration and upset caused.
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
Lynne M - Excellent Customer Service
Lynne M was very helpful. She was able to resolve my problem with my vouchers quickly and efficiently. Nothing was too much trouble. Due to the original problem I experienced she helped import the vouchers to my account. Excellent Customer service.
2 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi there!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such lovely feedback 💖
We’re absolutely delighted to hear that Lynne was able to help resolve the issue with your vouchers and make the process as smooth as possible for you.
We’ll make sure your kind words are passed on to Lynne as we know she’ll really appreciate the recognition.
Thank you again for choosing Virgin Balloon Flights and for sharing your experience with us. We hope you now have everything in place and can look forward to your ballooning adventure ahead 🎈
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
Fantastic Blast Off
Fantastic day...so peaceful..and could see for miles.
Lynn was truely a legend...went over and a bove to make sure we got the flight we were after...thank you so much!
Will definately recommend...a wonderful gift :)
27 april 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Olli,
Thank you so much for your lovely review 🎈
We’re absolutely delighted to hear you had such a fantastic day and got to enjoy the peaceful feeling of floating through the sky with those incredible views, there really is nothing quite like it!
It’s especially wonderful to hear your kind words about Lynn. We’ll make sure your feedback is passed on to her. She’ll be really thrilled to know her support and extra effort helped you secure the flight you were hoping for.
Thank you again for choosing Virgin Balloon Flights and for recommending us to others. We’re so pleased we could help create such a special memory and that your gift turned into such a wonderful experience 💖
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
If I could give 0 stars I would
If I could give 0 stars I would. Absolutely shocking response from Shaun Howells Virgin Balloon Flights Head of Customer Service. Refusing to settle a refund request after money and time had been spent for several cancellations to take place on their side over years of attempting to book flights for a birthday gift. Even when the weather was excellent, you call at midnight and they say it is cancelled. I will NEVER use or recommend their service. If you choose to book, it is at your own risk and most likely will end in a loss of money.
1 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Vanessa,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and I’m genuinely sorry to read how disappointed you feel about your experience.
We completely understand how frustrating repeated cancellations can be, especially when a balloon flight was intended as a special gift and time and anticipation have built up over a long period.
Hot air ballooning is uniquely dependent on suitable flying conditions and decisions to cancel are never taken lightly. Conditions can sometimes appear ideal at ground level but still be unsuitable or unsafe at flying altitude, which is why pilots may occasionally need to make late operational decisions in the interests of passenger safety.
I’m also sorry to hear that the outcome of your refund request left you feeling unheard. We appreciate that this won’t have been the result you were hoping for. When reviewing requests, we do have to apply the same voucher terms and conditions consistently and fairly for all customers, including where voucher types are non-refundable outside of the options available under their specific terms.
We never want anyone to feel disappointed after choosing to fly with us and we do appreciate the time you’ve taken to share your experience and concerns.
Thank you again for your feedback.
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
What an incredible hot air balloon…
What an incredible hot air balloon experience at Ashton Court The weather was absolutely perfect, giving us stunning views throughout the flight. Our pilot Mike and his team were friendly, professional, and highly experienced, which made us feel safe and relaxed from start to finish. Everything was well organized, and the peaceful ride created memories that we will cherish forever. A truly unforgettable adventure that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique and special experience!
30 mei 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Ion,
Wow! Thank you so much for such a wonderful review 🎈
We’re absolutely delighted to hear that your flight from Ashton Court was such a memorable experience!
It’s especially lovely to hear your kind words about Mike and the crew. We’ll make sure your feedback is passed on to them, they’ll be thrilled to know their friendliness, professionalism and experience helped you feel relaxed and safe throughout the journey.
Thank you again for choosing Virgin Balloon Flights and for recommending us to others. We hope to welcome you aboard again one day for another unforgettable flight.
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team ;)
Excellent customer service
Considered and sympathetic response to my request - dealt with promptly - really good customer service
29 mei 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi there,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback 💖
It means a great deal to hear that you felt your request was handled in a considered and sympathetic way, and that our team was able to support you promptly.
Thank you again for your kind words and for recognising the service you receive. Feedback like this genuinely means so much to us and will be shared with the team.
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
Great experience!
Great experience! Pilot was so knowledgeable and friendly.
Felt safe and fully informed throughout - just note you do need to help with packing up which I wasn’t aware of until the day (not that it was an issue for me)
29 mei 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Nadia,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review 🎈
We’re delighted to hear you had such a great experience and that your pilot helped you feel safe, informed and well looked after throughout your experience.
Thank you as well for highlighting the pack-away element of the experience. We really appreciate that feedback. Helping with inflation and deflation is an optional part of the ballooning experience and for many passengers it becomes part of the fun and team spirit of the experience.
Thank you again for choosing Virgin Balloon Flights and for sharing your experience with us, we’re so pleased you enjoyed your flight and hope the memories stay with you for years to come ✨
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
Beautiful Experience - Difficult Booking
Firstly, the balloon ride itself is an amazing awe-inspiring experience that is well worth ticking off the bucket list. It’s a beautiful opportunity to see the world from a different perspective. The team were professional, experienced, and friendly.
However, this experience was really frustrating to book and I do wish Virgin was more upfront about exactly how difficult it can be, so that customers’ expectations are managed better. The dates for flying are released a few weeks at a time, so you can’t plan far ahead. The flight is completely dependent on wind speed and direction, which is highly changeable and a beautiful day on the ground is not necessarily wind free up in the air. Our first 2 booked flights were cancelled and our flight that went ahead was moved to a site 30mins further away (so an even earlier start and more travel). I do think the 6 month voucher extension is too short, it should be at least 12 months. I have been really anxious about getting booked in before I lose my vouchers, and that isn’t fair. Many of us are juggling work and life commitments, we shouldn’t be caused stress over what should be an exciting experience (which we have paid for).
Some reviewers mention the physical side of setting up and putting away the balloon. I personally enjoyed a bit of team building, but admittedly felt a bit sore after.
I do think it is worth experiencing a balloon flight, but Virgin isn’t transparent enough about the difficulty in booking and actually flying on a suitable date. I do think they should review their voucher extension. If booking was more straightforward, I think I would like to experience a flight again, but I doubt I will with the current 6 month extension on weather cancellations.
29 mei 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi there!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful and balanced review 🎈
Firstly, we’re absolutely delighted to hear that once you finally got airborne, the experience lived up to being something worth ticking off the bucket list. Seeing the world from a completely different perspective really is something special, and we’re so pleased our crew helped make that part of your experience memorable.
At the same time, we also want to genuinely thank you for sharing your honest feedback about the booking journey.
You’ve raised some really fair points. Ballooning is unlike many other experiences because flights rely not only on good weather at ground level but also safe wind conditions and direction at flying altitude, which can change quickly and often means we can only release dates in shorter windows once pilots have coordinated access with local landowners and assessed operating conditions. That doesn’t always make planning easy and we absolutely understand how frustrating that can feel alongside work, family commitments and wanting certainty around special plans.
We're especially sorry to hear the experience of securing a flight date and concerns around voucher validity caused anxiety for you, that’s never the feeling we want our customers to associate with what should be an exciting adventure.
Thank you as well for mentioning the launch site change and the physical side of the experience. We know helping with inflation and pack away can be part of the fun and shared adventure for many passengers, but we appreciate it can be more active than some people expect.
Your comments around transparency and voucher extension periods are incredibly valuable and we’ll ensure these are shared with the relevant teams for review. Feedback like yours helps us continue improving how we set expectations and communicate the realities of ballooning from the outset.
Thank you again for your patience, understanding and for ultimately choosing to fly with us. We’re so pleased you got to enjoy the magic of ballooning in the end, and we really appreciate your honest reflections.
We hope you'll join us on another adventure in the future!
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
I have been met with extraordinary…
I have been met with extraordinary kindness & a genuine wish to be of assistance from the staff at Virgin.
11 maart 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Desiree,
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words 💖
It truly means a lot to hear that you’ve felt met with such kindness and help from our team.
We’ll make sure your lovely feedback is shared with the wider team. Reviews such as this really do brighten our day and mean so much to everyone involved.
Thank you again for choosing Virgin Balloon Flights and for taking the time to share your experience with us.
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team ;)
Horrendous
Horrendous. My son booked this for him and his partner nearly 3 years ago and paid £450.00. It’s been cancelled many, many times due to bad weather which I fully understand. Today (May 2026) now we have better weather they contacted him this morning to say there was availability to fly from Alton - this would be about an hour from where we live in Bournemouth, but they can’t ’confirm’ this until after 11pm this evening.
They sent a voicemail to say it will go ahead but from another venue over 2 hours away and he has to be there at 5am!! This is absolutely not acceptable. The emergency line has no-one to pick up. Obviously the ‘ Terms and conditions’ state you can’t get a refund if you don’t turn up. Absolutely appalling.
26 mei 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for sharing your feedback however we cannot locate your account. We understand your review is about your Son and his Partner and we have requested further information from you so that we can review the history of their account and respond appropriately.
We look forward to hearing from you.
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team
A lovely gift and experience
Our flight had been rescheduled many times due to the weather which I understand as safety is paramount - the customer service team were always very helpful and the crew on the day were amazing, Mike - Pilot, Caroline and Dan were fantastic and made the experience even more enjoyable - it was a very slick operation from beginning to end - I was concerned about the landing but there was nothing to worry Mike had it totally under control and it was very smooth and no bumps! A glass of Prosecco was very welcomed at the end - it was a lovely morning and the views over Bristol were fabulous - we all helped to pack the balloon away and then were driven back to Ashton Court - would thoroughly recommend this experience
16 mei 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Virgin Balloon Flights
Hello Angela,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this wonderful feedback with us 🎈
We’re absolutely delighted to hear that, although your flight took a few attempts to get airborne due to the weather, you felt supported throughout and that the experience was worth the wait.
We’ll be sure to pass your lovely comments on to Mike, Caroline and Dan! We know they’ll be thrilled to hear they helped make the morning so memorable.
Thank you again for flying with Virgin Balloon Flights and for recommending us. We really appreciate your patience, your kind words and for letting us be part of such a special memory.
Warmest wishes,
The Virgin Balloon Flights Team :)
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