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By Eve, March 1, 2012 12:36 pm

Today is the day that all pilots, crew and staff at Virgin Balloon Flights have been waiting for since the end of the 2011 flying season – it’s the first day of the 2012 hot air balloon ride flying season – hooray!

Up and down the UK our pilots and crew have been busy primping and preening their balloons and baskets over the last few months in preparation for what we hope will be a record year of balloon rides for Virgin Balloon Flights.

This season we have some lovely new pilots, balloons and exciting new launch sites to add to our already impressive collection. Take a look at our spectacular Dogmersfield launch site in Hampshire for example which launches from the stunningly beautiful Four Seasons Hotel. If there’s an aviation enthusiast in your family then a balloon ride from Old Buckenham Airfield in Norfolk is the perfect launch site to choose.

With Mother’s Day hot on our heels and the Diamond Jubilee to celebrate this year we’re hoping to see lots of new faces in our baskets.

So instead of looking up at our big red balloons flying gracefully through the skies and dreaming of what a fabulous view its passengers must have – come and join us up here for a very special journey you’ll remember forever.

See you soon!

Balloon Ride Prices | Balloon Ride Video | The Ballooning Experience | Balloon Launch Locations

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By Eve, November 17, 2011 4:55 pm

The 16^th November 2011 saw the first ever global Virgin Social Marathon, a groundbreaking event that took place around the world bringing together all sorts of digital types from Virgin offices near and far all working together for a day-long event at the Facebook office in London. Starting in Australia, then over to the UK and South Africa and finally ending in LA, California at Sir Richard Branson, Eve Branson and Virgin Unite’s event Rock the Kasbah.

The aim of the day was to reach out to our fans and followers across all of our social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+ with the theme and hashtag #FirstTimes. A fun packed and fast-typing day, we started posting and tweeting in the UK at around 6am and continued through until almost midnight.

With Mini Draws of lots of Virgin goodies up for grabs plus a Grand Prize including 2 hot air balloon rides, an Aston Martin experience day, a 1 year membership to Virgin Active, a Virgin London Marathon place and a Virgin Media TiVo box to name but a few, getting all of our social media fans entering and playing with the brand new app Virgin First Times was great fun.

In keeping with the theme #FirstTimes and to mark the the launch of the new app, we asked some of our colleagues here in the Virgin Balloon Flights office to share their ballooning first times with us.

“Describe your first balloon ride in three words?”

“What did you think of your first balloon ride?”

First Timers

We also wanted to know what our colleagues have been up to for the first time lately – here are some of their firsts:-

“Became a Dad” – Alex F, “Produced work for my very first public exhibition” – Ben H “Saw Bruno Mars in concert”- Sophie E “Bought my first home with my fiancé” – Caz S “Attended a Management Board meeting” – Ryan L “Skydive!” 10,000ft of pure nerves” – Liz M “Planning a Vegas wedding. Won a comp to go to SA with @RichardBranson” – Kirsty M

If you fancy flying in a balloon for the first time, please visit our Experience page where you can learn all about what’s involved on a Virgin Balloon Flights ballooning adventure.

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By Eve, October 6, 2011 3:23 pm

Customer Service is always number one in the Virgin Balloon Flights office however this week it is even more in the spotlight as we celebrate National Customer Service Week 2011.

This week typically gives everyone in the office a chance to think about how they achieve customer service excellence in everything they do both today and tomorrow.

Working as a team is always vital here at Virgin Balloon Flights and Customer Service Week gives each individual a chance to pass on ideas and learning through various activities, challenges and group activities aimed at enhancing teamwork, collaboration and communication.

This year our team have been busy doing quizzes that get them thinking outside the box, building bridges in a team, creating various challenges for each other and things for a bit of fun like ‘Pyjama Day’ where one ‘lucky’ customer service representative was given the challenge of visiting a local garage to enquire about purchasing a vehicle, in her pyjamas – to see if what a customer is wearing affects what level of service is given, well it got a few smiles anyway which is always good in our book!

National Customer Service Week 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Our customer service representatives handle all hot air balloon ride bookings for every single one of our 100+ launch sites throughout the UK – we are based in Shropshire which is nice and central as our launch sites are spread right from Scotland down to Cornwall and everywhere in between.

With the launch of our brand new website www.virginballoonflights.co.uk on October 1st 2011 Customer Service Week couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time as there has been lots to communicate to customers about the many improvements our new system brings.

If you’d like to talk to our friendly customer service team about an existing Virgin Balloon Flight or to enquire about becoming an airborne adventurer just give us a call or visit our new website.

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By Eve, August 19, 2011 5:38 pm

Jeanie and Jackie from Mad About Bargains enjoyed a Sunday afternoon out of the ordinary at this year’s Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. Over a quarter of a million people turned up on the Saturday evening to witness the spectacular ‘night glow’ and over half a million visitors 
attended overall!

After winning a competition the pair joined Virgin Balloon Flights at the event and as well a watching a breath-taking aerial display from the Red Arrows also got to meet our very own pilot ‘Nobby’ who flies from Ashton Court in Bristol regularly and explained how he became the UK’s youngest hot air balloon pilot at aged 19 back in… ooh we really couldn’t say. This year’s free Fiesta was the 33^rd annual event of its kind and the 34^th has already been scheduled for the 9^th – 12^th August for

next year!

With tons of entertainment from fairground rides to daredevil motorcycle stuntmen and women jumping over flaming hay bales, parachutists leaping from helicopters and of course amazing airborne antics from over 100 beautiful hot air balloons this really is an event like no other.

To celebrate 40 years of balloon making, Bristol based Cameron Balloons undertook the impressive challenge of building a hot air balloon during the duration of the Fiesta; 4 days! We thought this was an incredible achievement and what a lovely balloon it was too – we were there to see it being inflated for the very first time.

To fly from Ashton Court in Bristol with Virgin Balloon Flights or any of our 100+ launch sites throughout the UK visit www.virginballoonflights.co.uk or call 01952 212 750.

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By Eve, August 13, 2011 6:00 am

Our friends at Mad About Bargains are looking forward to a hot air ballooning extravaganza at this year’s 4-day Bristol International Balloon Fiesta after winning a Virgin Balloon Flights competition.

The balloon enthusiast’s dream opened its gates at midday on Thursday 11^th August 2011 and promises a wealth of fabulous ballooning events from mass balloon launches to the famous night glows to an exhilarating display from the spectacular Red Arrows.

Following in the footsteps of the UK’s Queen of Soul Beverley Knight who took to the skies in our balloon on the second day of the Fiesta to perform an aerial rendition of her latest track ‘Cuddly Toy’, Jeanie and Jackie from the popular family-run site are scheduled to launch into the skies above beautiful Ashton Court in Bristol in Sunday evening’s mass balloon ascent.

Friday morning saw 63 balloons simultaneously ascend and similarly Sunday’s flight promises to be a rainbow of colour and a truly unforgettable balloon ride for the bargain savvy pair.

We’re really looking forward to the flight and can’t wait to see the pink hairdo for real.

Cheers ladies!

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By Eve, July 25, 2011 4:26 pm

Hello my name is Bailey, Bailey Jones,

For those of you that have already met me out in the ballooning field and for those of you have yet to, I thought you might be interested in learning about my exciting hot air ballooning lifestyle.  Well, why wouldn’t you?

As a rule, I have two types of day depending on whether or not I am chasing the big red thing.  If I’m chasing it, it means getting up very early indeed. Sometimes too early for an old fellow like me (I am 8 but sometimes I feel like I am 12, other times I feel 3; just depends what mood I am in).  I then sit in the back of this big black thing that takes me from one place to another.  Not sure what it is but it is very high off the ground and has comfy seats inside.  To get into it I have to place my two front paws upon the seat and then my human owner very kindly lifts me up.  If only he knew I can do it all by myself he he!

We then arrive at this lovely big field and I can’t wait to jump out of the big black moving thing. I then meet lots of nice humans who pat me and stroke me. Some of them even have dog biscuits with them which is brilliant!  I’m not sure why they have them but I’m not complaining. Once the humans have said hello to me I’m put safely back in the moving thing and I watch them set up this big red thing. Personally, I can’t work it out.  There’s a big flame, the red thing gets big and then the humans jump into a big basket and off they float into the sky.  I just watch, it’s most perplexing.  Once the big red thing is in the sky I jump out and have a good run around the field.

After a while I get back in and off we go again. I watch the fields pass by my window until we stop at another field and the humans who floated off into the sky are all there again. Wow! It’s amazing – how did they get there?

Maybe the big red thing took them all there which sounds pretty exciting to me.  Anyway, if it’s safe to do so I’m allowed out again to stretch my legs and find the lovely humans with the dog biscuits.  Yum! I never forget which ones they are.  Sometimes I sit down and raise my paw, do you know it works every time! Once the humans have packed up the big red thing off we go for breakfast which I love. More treats if I’m lucky.

Then it’s sleep time; dreams of fields and humans giving me biscuits, bliss.  If the big red thing is needed in the sky again later in the day we do everything all over again (but without the breakfast of course).  I sleep very well on those long exciting days but it isn’t long before my human owner soon appears wiping the sleep from his eyes saying “Come on Bailey, here we go again!”. I don’t mind though, it’s so much fun.

The human in charge of the big red thing I have to chase is called Neal, he is always smiling so I guess he must love doing what he does.  To find out more about me and to see more of my hot air ballooning photos from my adventures with Virgin Balloon Flights you can visit my very own Facebook page. I very much look forward to seeing you there, bye bye for now.

   Love Bailey x

PS: Don’t forget the dog biscuits if you come to see me, I’m not fussy with the flavour.

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By Eve, June 15, 2011 3:28 pm

Working at Virgin Balloon Flights HQ in Telford Shropshire has its highs (no pun intended); it’s a great place to be with lots going on constantly and there’s never a dull moment, not even a second!

However, right now I am blogging live to you from deep within stunning Ironbridge Gorge, working from a beautiful building on the site of the Coalport China Museum surrounded by lots of lovely people all with very different working agendas…

I’m at my very first Jelly! ‘Your first what?’ I hear you cry.

This particular Jelly is the Shropshire Jelly based at Enterprise HQ in Coalport, Shropshire. The brainchild of Social Media Expert Jan Minihane this is an opportunity to work as a group but not as you know it. This is not networking, this is simply co-working and a great opportunity for people normally based at home, freelancers, small business owners and office based workers alike to get together to work. Hopefully with some good conversation, a mutual sharing of ideas and of course some tweets along the way.

You never know who you are going to meet at a Jelly – a solicitor, a translator, a vehicle financing solutions expert, who knows? (All people I’ve met today).

Originally an American concept that began around 15 years ago, Jellies can now be found in various places throughout the UK.

Right now I have the pleasure of sitting next to Jill Ming of Building Beginnings who researches the history of houses, a job I must admit I never even knew existed.  Ever wondered what stories your home could tell you? Emma Mellor, or rather @DigitalDoris, makes things easier to read and Carole Anne Carr writes fabulous children’s novels such as First Wolf which tells about hero Toland’s journey to an incredible world (wonder if he’s ever flown in a balloon!)…

Cakes were served at elevenses and then there’s the tempted waft of lunch emanating from the Enterprise HQ kitchen.  Overall this is an excellent way of getting lots of work done in a very pleasant, business friendly and collaborative environment.

You can find out more about a Jelly near you by visiting the UK Jelly website meanwhile thanks go to Hollie Whittles, Jan Minihane and Enterprise HQ for hosting a wonderful event for local business people here in Coalport. Next time we’re up in a balloon over Shropshire we’ll definitely give you
a wave!

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By Eve, May 23, 2011 2:11 pm

Mid-May saw Perth Racecourse’s most glamorous event of their vibrant calendar; Ladies’ Day.

As well as an exhilarating day at the races, race-goers relish the opportunity to vie for coveted titles such as ‘Best Dressed Lady’, ‘Best Hat/ Fascinator’, ‘Best Dressed Gentleman’ and, to mark the Ladies Day association with Breakthrough Breast Cancer, the award for ‘Best Pink Outfit’.

Being dressed to impress certainly paid off for these lucky ladies who all won prizes for their outfit efforts. We look forward to welcoming Debbie Anderson (seen here on the right) from Aberdeen aboard one of our iconic Virgin balloons on a Champagne balloon ride as the prize winner for the ‘Best Dressed Lady’. Other prizes awarded were a £500 VIP personal shopper experience at Perth Debenhams, weekend camping tickets to the 80’s Rewind Festival at Scone Palace Park, a private cookery demonstration provided by the Anglers Inn and a round of golf for four at Murrayshall Hall Golf course plus may others. Fabulous!

Ladies Day saw seven races and in-between each race race-goers were treated to live entertainment, a Zumba presentation and a multitude of fashion shows.

Perth Racecourse is situated in the stunning parkland of historic Scone Palace, a short distance away from our Perth Airport launch site at Scone. A flight from Perth in a hot air balloon is a truly magical experience with views over this breath-taking region affording birds’ eye views of the Palace grounds, panoramic views over Perth city and the Racecourse over to the River Tay.

Visit our site to hop into a hot air balloon and fly from Perth.

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By Eve, May 17, 2011 2:24 pm

Next week sees the celebration of National Balloon Week commencing May 22^nd 2011.

A balloon is simply a flexible bag inflated with a gas such as helium, hydrogen or oxygen and can be made from material such as rubber, latex or nylon. Even dried animal bladders have been used in the past to make balloons; lovely!

In 1824, whilst experimenting with different gases, Michael Faraday invented the most common type of balloon, the rubber balloon.

In 1782, whilst watching a bonfire the French Montgolfier brothers, realised that warm air was lighter than cool air and set about filling a bag with hot air to see if it would fly. The rest is history as they say.

In contrast, in the 1970s, metalized plastic film began to be used to create pretty decorative floating foil balloons filled with helium.

As well as for fun, balloons are used as flying machines for transport, pleasure trips, defence and meteorology.

It goes without saying that here at Virgin Balloon Flights we love balloons, not least because balloons tend to conjure images of colour, happiness and celebration.

Balloons can also symbolise something special; a birthday, a party, happiness, togetherness and in
the case of hot air ballooning – daring, romance and adventure! Just visit our gallery and you’ll get
the idea.

So to experience a magical balloon ride in one of our beautiful big red iconic balloons and feel part of ballooning history, take a look at our range of balloon flights that take off from almost every corner of England, Scotland and Wales.

You can also find out more about the ballooning experience by visiting us on Facebook and by following us @VirginBalloons on Twitter.