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Hot Air Balloons

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  • 15-08-2008 12:29pm
    #1
    DArcy
    Registered Users Posts: 200 ✭✭


    Just a warning to anyone considering purchasing the gift of a hot air balloon flight for a loved one...

    I bought two vouchers in December 2006 for myself and my boyfriend. The plan was that we'd use them the following June for his 30th birthday. Everything was booked but the weather let us down and the flight was postponed. We rebooked for another date in July, which was also cancelled due to weather (living proof that Irish summers are absolutely pants!). We rebooked a third time and again, it was postponed.

    At this stage I was getting worried as the vouchers expired in Dec 2007 and the balloon's only fly from March to Oct. I'm at university out of the country so September and October can be awkward months for me to get home. The company who issued the vouchers said they'd extend the validity, so we were sorted. We booked our 4th attempt this summer and it too was postponed. We're due to fly again this Sunday but the weather forecast isn't good and all other flights this week (so far) have been postponed. I've looked at the company's schedule and basically ALL their flights are full up until the end of the flying season, bar a few on weekdays. Booking a flight on a weekday means people taking a day of annual leave, possibly for nothing if the flight is cancelled.

    I've spoken to other people with vouchers who're in the same situation as me. It seems that on account of the Irish weather, there are thousands of people backlogged and waiting to get a flight. Meanwhile the company in question continue to issue hundreds of new vouchers. The company do not issue refunds and just continue to extend the validity of the vouchers once the customer books a minimum of 3 postponed flights each season.

    So just a warning...seems like a great idea at the time but DON'T buy these vouchers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You'll never get to fly, unless you have a weather machine or a sun dance!


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    #2
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,497 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    DArcy wrote: »
    Just a warning to anyone considering purchasing the gift of a hot air balloon flight for a loved one...

    I bought two vouchers in December 2006 for myself and my boyfriend. The plan was that we'd use them the following June for his 30th birthday. ..............................At this stage I was getting worried as the vouchers expired in Dec 2007 and the balloon's only fly from March to Oct. I'm at university out of the country so September and October can be awkward months for me to get home. The company who issued the vouchers said they'd extend the validity, so we were sorted. We booked our 4th attempt this summer and it too was postponed.


    ah they expire in 2007?...you realize its 2008?

    Nothing you can do about the weather, its an act of "god" and it would be worse if they went up with people if the weather was poor as that could cause a safety issue


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    #3
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    Cabaal wrote: »
    ah they expire in 2007?...you realize its 2008?

    Nothing you can do about the weather, its an act of "god" and it would be worse if they went up with people if the weather was poor as that could cause a safety issue
    The op mentioned the extension of the expiry date, and I think the point is that rather than stop selling the vouchers till they clear a backlog, they are continuing to take money for something it seems difficult to provide, given our weather.

    Fair warning to potential customers I would think. I had a similar issue with a glider voucher that we eventually let expire as we could not get our days off to tally with the providers, and the weather.


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