To ensure that passengers can follow all pilot instructions ad understand the safety briefing, the minimum age is 7 years old. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

There is no maximum age limit, but all passengers must be able to:

- Enter and exit the basket by themselves;

- Stand throughout the flight (approx. 1 hour).

Safety is our top priority, and balloons have a strict "weight-to-volume" ratio. For all of our flight types, if a passenger is over 18 stone (115kg), we may need to apply a weight supplement to stay within safe operating limits.

If this applies to you, just reach out during booking and we can advise/plan accordingly.

Congratulations!

However, for safety reasons, we cannot fly anyone who is pregnant. If you discover you're expecting after you've booked, don't worry! As per The Fine Print, we will extend your voucher by 12 months so you can join us for a "post-birth" celebration.

Please see The Fine Print for further details.

If you can climb in and out of the basket unassisted (about the height of a standard fence) and can stand comfortably for an hour, you're likely good to go.

If you have been diving in the previous 24 hours or have any pre-existing medical conditions then please consult a medical professional before flying.

In the UK, the weather is part of the adventure. If we have to "ground" the flight for safety:

- Instant Reschedule: We'll send you a personal link to our real-time diary to pick a new date immediately.

- Refund Reassurance: If you can't fly again, you can request a refund. For all non-Fiesta flights, we'll return your payment minus an 8% fee (which covers our external booking and transaction costs).

We hate the "Will We?/Won't We" anxiety that sometimes occurs whilst waiting for a balloon flight.

We provide proactive Weather Updates 3, 2 and 1 days before your flight via WhatsApp, SMS or email. Whilst this information is based of a weather forecast so can't be 100% accurate - it should provide you with some indicative reassurance.

We make the final call as early as possible, but sometimes we may have to wait for the latest forecast updates.

So the latest final decision should be:

AM Flights: 10pm the night before

PM Flights: 2pm in the afternoon of your flight.

If you are travelling some distance and need an earlier decision reach out to the team and we will happily assist you.

- Gift Vouchers: 12 months to be used or converted.

- Flight Vouchers: 24 months from the date of purchase.

- The 3-Attempt Rule: If we ground your flight 3 times due to weather or safety reasons, we'll add another 12 months to your voucher for free.

All Gift and Flight Vouchers are "multi-purpose". If you decide flying isn't for you, your credit can be redeemed for Westward Ballooning merchandise, including our children's clothing range and books.

- 7+ Days Notice: You can reschedule your flight for free or request a refund (minus 8% fee).

- 48 Hours - 7 Days: You can reschedule for free, but no refunds are available.

- Under 48 Hours: No rescheduling or refunds are possible.

Unlike the "big basket" companies who fly up to 16 people, Westward Ballooning is strictly boutique.

- Intimate Flight: Just you, your favourite person, and the pilot.

- Kindred Flight: Reserved for small, private groups of friends or family. You will never share your basket with a group of strangers.

Expect to be with us for 3 to 4 hours. This includes the safety briefing, the balloon inflation, 45-60 minutes of flight time, post-flight drinks and nibbles, and return trip to the launch site.

This is entirely up to the wind! Your pilot will look for a suitable, empty field (avoiding livestock and crops). Our ground crew follows us and will meet us wherever we land.