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Hot air Balloon flights with a personal touch. A maximum of 8 people in the basket for comfort and enjoyment. A family run company where you can speak directly to the pilot when you book. We have large, world renowned corporate clients for whom we do lots of aerial marketing, promoting their business to the world from the sky.
annexe, Withy cottage, bs40 5bp, Bristol, Regno Unito
3,6
6 recensioni
Ha risposto al 100% delle recensioni negative ricevute
Solitamente risponde entro 24 ore
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Our first ever flight took place yesterday . Nick has been fantastic throughout the whole experience , keeping us updated with the weather and rebooking was easy when it was necessary and he was the most charming and competent pilot too , Thankyou Nick , we loved it 😃 I would highly recommend First Flight 👍🏻
I was gifted a flight experience for two back in February 2024, and after more than a year of trying to book, with over half a dozen cancellations due to imperfect weather, I was told my voucher had expired. I'm glad to be joining Toby, a recent complainant and reviewer, in the hopes that others can avoid our same fate.
We initially tried to work with the provider to rearrange flights, but towards the end, communication broke down to the point of being ignored for almost three weeks. We expressed our difficulty of rearranging all the time because we had since moved away from the area, and both worked regular office hours, but the organiser simply suggested that we weren’t prioritise the flight enough.
In stead of honouring our request for a refund, as per their own terms and conditions which state it is “possible in exceptional circumstances”, we were dismissed, and the provider attempted to place the blame entirely with us.
We were then offered one final option to fly, but after months of delays and poor communication, we no longer wished to proceed with the experience.
To all prospective customers considering flying with this provider, we strongly advise reading all the terms and conditions before buying, and preparing yourselves for numerous delays beyond what is reasonable, with little customer support if things don’t go as planned.
Risposta di Firstflight
Hi Dudley,
Thank you for your detailed – albeit significantly exaggerated and factually inaccurate – review. I appreciate everyone is entitled to their opinion, though I am disappointed that your comments now stray into misleading territory, which I’d like to clarify below.
To begin, I fully agree with your closing remark that customers should read the terms and conditions before purchasing. We actively encourage this by requiring acknowledgment prior to checkout and by sending a full copy alongside the voucher. These terms exist to protect both parties – though, understandably, they are sometimes overlooked in the excitement of purchasing a gift.
As stated clearly in those terms, ballooning is an entirely weather-dependent activity. While this can be frustrating for all involved, it’s a fundamental part of what we do and we take our passengers safety extremely seriously . We conduct around 200 flights per year, and many passengers fly on their first or second attempt. Others, inevitably, require a few more tries due to the unpredictability of UK weather.
You claimed to have booked in "over half a dozen times" since receiving the gift in February 2023. However, our records show only three bookings during that period – 14th July, 24th August, and 12th October – all of which were postponed due to unsuitable flying conditions.
Our terms outline that passengers should make a minimum of four genuine attempts within the 12-month validity period in order to qualify for a free extension. When you contacted us in March, after not hearing from you since your previous attempt in October, you explained you had moved away from the area and had not managed to make time for that fourth attempt. Despite this, we extended your voucher – already technically expired – to allow for a further booking.
You subsequently rebooked for 13th April, which unfortunately was again postponed. We again extended the voucher on a rolling monthly basis, requesting that you make one genuine attempt per month – a policy many find fair and workable. At this stage, you declined this option and instead requested a refund. Given that your voucher had already been valid for over 15 months, and had been generously extended multiple times, we did not believe this met the threshold for a refund under our "exceptional circumstances" clause.
We understand that you moved away and have limited availability, but this is not something we can be held responsible for. Many of our passengers live outside our immediate operating area and still manage to arrange their flights, understanding the need for flexibility and proactivity in booking. Since balloon flights typically take place outside standard office hours, we offer a good selection of evening and weekend slots, which tend to work well for most people's schedules—even with other commitments.
Despite the above, we offered you a final opportunity to book for your next available date in June. You declined again, and as such, the voucher has now expired.
It is always disappointing when someone misses the chance to experience the magic of ballooning. However, in this case, I believe we have gone above and beyond in offering flexibility and goodwill throughout – despite clear departures from the agreed terms.
Regards,
Nick
A lovely experience!
Thank you so much to Nick and the team, everyone was really happy and polite and we had a great chilled time.
Nick briefed us and made sure that we were all briefed and happy before and throughout the trip. He also pointed out landmarks along the way.
We took off from Ashton Court and landed about an hour later just outside of Keynsham.
Takeoff and landing was smooth and straight forward.
After we had helped pack away the balloon we were offered a drink, and of course being a Thatchers balloon I opted for a bottle of cider from a range of flavours. You could also have a glass of fizz or a soft drink.
When we had finished we were driven back to the meeting point.
You can view my flight on my instagram:
@rob_hawes
We were given this flight as a special present by a group of friends. The first time we tried to use it we got cancelled the night before due to poor weather - which is just the way the cookie crumbles, fine. But then the next time we were able to get to Bristol we were told the voucher had expired and that it was all our fault for not using it sooner. I had no idea there was an expiry date, and as the man got cross with me I explained my mother had died which had taken over life for a bit. I realise that's not a legal argument, but I was hoping for a bit of understanding. Nick just replied that that wasn't his fault. It was hard to believe I was speaking with a human.
Risposta di Firstflight
Hi Toby,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review on every platform available — though I’m genuinely sorry to see it’s our first 1-star in over 30 years of operating.
We go to great lengths to ensure our passengers are looked after and enjoy the best possible experience, so I’m saddened that you feel we fell short.
When we spoke earlier today, our conversation began calmly, but unfortunately became difficult when I was unable to get the necessary booking details and was repeatedly spoken over, making it hard to respond or assist you fully. You ended the call before I had the chance to offer any options.
You are absolutely right that the voucher was a gift from friends back in early 2023, and I understand that you managed to book one flight that was unfortunately cancelled due to weather — something we never take lightly. However, the terms and conditions, contact details, and booking references were all provided at the time of purchase. As the recipient, it’s made clear that you're responsible for getting in touch to arrange the flight. If the purchaser/friends fail to pass any of this information on, I surely cannot be held responsible. Our standard voucher validity is 12 months, and we do offer free extensions if a passenger has made at least four reasonable booking attempts within that time — something many customers find fair and flexible.
It’s worth noting that more than 18 months passed between your one booking and your call with me today. While I had no knowledge of your personal circumstances at the time of the call, I was truly sorry to read about your loss in your review. Life can be incredibly tough — for many people, and for small businesses like ours too.
I want to reassure you that I wasn’t angry during our call — only trying to explain the situation — but it became impossible to have a constructive discussion whilst not being allowed to respond.
It’s unfortunate that this experience ended with a public review rather than a continued conversation, as there may still have been a way forward. That said, I do appreciate your feedback and hope your friends understand the effort they made was in the spirit of a meaningful and memorable gift.
Kind regards,
Nick
Thank you so much to Nick and team. My balloon ride was a birthday gift. The flight had to be rescheduled a number of times due to adverse conditions but Nick was very accommodating and this was simple to do. The flight itself was extremely smooth and peaceful with lovely views. Drinks at the end with the friendly crew rounded off a great experience! Highly recommend
Wonderful flight. I highly recommend this experience. After reading reviews, we went direct to First Flight. They were organised, professional & felt more personal. So much better than using vouchers from one of the big experience companies. (Tried that, disastrous. Don’t do it). We were due to fly on a Monday evening, but the weather deteriorated so much that the flight had be cancelled. (That’s the downside of Ballooning; its totally weather dependant). We struck lucky; people who were due to go on the Sunday night dropped out (something about a football match?!!) We were asked if we’d like to go in their place. So glad we did. The flight was perfect; a calm sunny evening, so peaceful, with great views over the Cheddar Valley. We live there, so it was fascinating seeing it from the sky, gave a different perspective. The pilot, Rich, helped made it an informative & entertaining trip. We enjoyed helping to set up the balloon and pack away afterwards. The curious cows who came to watch us pack up added to the fun. The icing on the cake was the Fizz at the end. Now we've flown in a hot air balloon once, we’d love to go again. I would definitely use this company again.
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