Terms and Conditions
As with all businesses, it is necessary that
we are precise about the terms of our contract
with you, and the following details are intended
to do just that. If, however, you are unsure
about any aspect of your intended flight, please
do not hesitate to contact us at our Information
and Booking Office, where our staff will be
pleased to answer any queries you may have.
1) It is our intention that all the terms of
the contract between us, the purchaser and
passenger if different, are contained in these
Terms and Conditions and in the brochures and
associated documents (if any) issued by us.
If you do not wish to be bound by them, please
return your Flight Vouchers within 14 days
of the date of purchase, for a full refund
(less a £10 charge per Flight Voucher
to cover credit card and banking costs).
After this period, the costs incurred in maintaining
the operation and setting up flights are such
that a refund will not be possible, except
under the circumstances described in paragraph
10. The Flight Voucher is not redeemable for
cash
2) Flight Vouchers will not be valid until
full payment for the Flight Voucher has been
received. All Flight Vouchers are valid for
a period of 12 months from the date of purchase.
3) The purchase of a Flight Voucher entitles
the passenger to a flight in a hot air balloon
operated by Airborne Balloon Flights Ltd, from
a site selected by the operating Pilot, plus
additional benefits such as flight certificates,
post-flight celebrations etc, which may be
varied by us as appropriate to the flight.
4) All our balloon flights are subject to suitable
weather conditions and the terms of the Air
Navigation Order (ANO) and are undertaken at
the discretion of the pilot in command. It
may be necessary to postpone a flight at any
time if in our judgement the flight may not
be made safely or within the requirements of
the ANO. We will give you as much warning as
operational procedures permit of a postponement,
but we reserve the right to order such a postponement
at any time up to the moment of launch. Whilst
most passengers are able to fly on their first
chosen date, it is important that you are aware
that for the above reasons it may be necessary
to cancel and reschedule your flight. All Flight
Vouchers are issued on the basis that they
are for any day in the category chosen, and
not for a specific day, even when a flight
date has been chosen at the time of purchase.
If flights are suspended due to operational
restrictions beyond our control, the validity
period of Flight Vouchers will be extended
by at least the period of such restrictions.
5) Cancellations on the launch site are rare
but occasionally necessary when the meteorological
office does get the forecast wrong! Airborne
and Leeds Castle Enterprises Ltd are unable
to accept liability for any consequential loss
(financial or otherwise) for such circumstances,
which are beyond our control.
6) In the event of postponement of the flight,
passengers should contact the Information & Booking
Office to book a further flight date within
the original validity period. We advise passengers
to book flight dates at the start of the flying
season (April to October) to allow sufficient
time to reschedule should the flight be cancelled.
7) If a passenger has not been able to fly
during the validity period of their Flight
Voucher, but has attempted to fly on at least
one occasion during that period, Airborne will
exceptionally allow the extension of the Flight
Voucher to the end of the month following the
expiry date (or the first month of the following
season if the Flight Voucher expires during
the last month of a season or during a non-flying
period). If a flight date is not booked in
that month, the Flight Voucher will be deemed
to have expired.
8) The expiry date of a Flight Voucher may
be extended for a further 12 months at any
time at a cost of £30 per Flight Voucher.
9) The pilot has ultimate responsibility for
deciding the duration and conduct of any flight
and the appropriate time and place of a final
landing. We cannot guarantee that a flight
will follow any particular direction, and you
should note in particular that the launch site
will be chosen to ensure that the flight can
be conducted safely and within the terms of
the ANO. The grounds of Leeds Castle are the
normal launch site of the Leeds Castle Balloon,
but if the wind speed or direction are such
that a safe and lengthy flight will not be
possible, then the balloon will move to a more
appropriate site for launch. Purchasers
and recipients of Flight Vouchers or Gift Vouchers
are therefore advised that we are unable to
guarantee that the balloon will launch from
the grounds of Leeds Castle on the chosen flight
date.
10) We will make a refund of the Flight
Voucher, less 25% of the ticket cost to cover
financial and administration costs, only following
the death of the passenger, or certification
from a doctor that the passenger is or will
be medically unfit to fly (other than by reason
of pregnancy). If a passenger is unable to
take their flight as a result of pregnancy,
the Flight Ticket will be extended to the end
of the following calendar year.
11) If you wish
to change your chosen flight date please note
that 7 days notice is required. It is a requirement
that passengers telephone the appropriate Flight
Information Line as instructed, prior to the
flight. Passengers arriving after the meeting
time detailed on the Flight Information Line,
or failing to take a confirmed flight, will
render their Flight Voucher invalid and forfeit
the Voucher purchase cost. Flight Vouchers
rendered invalid in this manner are not entitled
to the provisions of paragraphs 7 and 8.
12) The pilot in command or the company may
refuse to fly any person deemed to be especially
at risk or a liability to the crew or other
passengers. Prior to taking their flight passengers
should ensure they are in good physical health
and that there are no medical or physical reasons
why they should not take their flight. Passengers
should not fly if pregnant.
13) To accommodate unforeseen changes in the
personal circumstances of the passenger, Flight
Vouchers are fully transferable allowing the
nomination of alternative passengers.
12) Our standard insurance policy covers us
against our legal liability to you for accidents
or injury during the flight. We can provide
further details upon request and if you do
not consider the extent of our insurance coverage
adequate to compensate you for loss for which
we are legally liable whether for death or
personal injury, we would advise you to take
out your own additional cover. Please note
that personal effects such as cameras, video
equipment etc. are not insured and are carried
entirely at the passenger's own risk
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