Terms & Conditions
Definitions
Service refers specifically to the hot air ballooning mentioned on this documentation and generally to the range of products offered including customised activities arranged by agreement. Service operator refers to Go Wild Ballooning or any independent contractor supplying/delivering the services to you under the terms of your agreement. YVB & GB both trade under GWB.
GWB refers to Go Wild Ballooning P/L
YVB refers to Yarra Valley Ballooning
GB refers to Geelong Ballooning
Yarra Valley Ballooning & Geelong Ballooning trade under Go Wild Ballooning P/L
Travel Identity Checks – Upon arriving at the balloon meeting point, passengers may be required to provide proof of identity including name, residential street address & suburb. Children 6-12 years may be required to provide proof of age / date of birth. This will be checked against the details provided on the Booking Form. If any details do not match or you do not provide proof of your identity when asked, you will be denied entry into the aircraft.
Travel / Personal Insurance – We recommend passengers initiate their own travel insurance for cover not limited to the following, loss, damage, illness & late cancellations. Highly recommended for all passengers (including interstate & international) who have booked a discounted or non-refundable flight & may not be able to reschedule if necessary & fly before the expiry date. All passengers need to factor in the possibility of a short notice cancellation. Cancellations may occur due to a number of reasons including but not limited to weather, mechanical, ground conditions, a change in operational limitations. In the event that a service must be delayed, cancelled or rescheduled, we will not accept any liability for any out of pocket expenses, travel, accommodation, loss of income, inconvenience or other costs incurred or lost through such cancellations / delays. Personal belongings brought on board the aircraft or left in our vehicles are done so at your own risk. We recommend that you do not bring valuables. Eligible passengers who miss the 14 day refund opening and are therefore not eligible for a refund through GWB or GB, may be able to claim through their own travel / personal insurance policy. Please have your insurance company contact us directly for verification.
1. Important Pre-Purchase Information
When purchasing / booking one of our flight products from any website not limited to GWB, YVB or GB, the customer is also agreeing to the T&C’s of the supplier / merchant provided on that website. This is testament of the customers understanding & whole acceptance of the purchase on behalf of the passengers / recipients. If a customer / purchaser does not accept our T&C’s they are under no obligation to purchase any of our products or services. Payment received for any service provided is acceptance of these T&C’s.
All Bookings: Passenger numbers/names within a booking cannot be split and booked/flown on different days. Once a booking id is deemed completed in our system, no further bookings against this number can be accepted. The balance of passengers / monies paid, if any, cannot be rebooked or refunded in part or full. Passengers who have a change of mind and do not wish to fly or rebook will not be refunded.
Ballooning Breakfast: Due to circumstances out of our control, if our meeting location / ballooning breakfast venue is unavailable, we may change venues at short notice & notify you accordingly. Our ballooning breakfast will be provided at an alternate venue and will be of a similar value & quality. A flight & breakfast package must be completed on the same day and cannot be split & taken over two days. There is no refund option in part or full or a rain-check for breakfast that is not completed on the day of the flight.
NO SMOKING / DANGEROUS GOODS – All passengers are prohibited from smoking / vaping or having any flammable item in their possession during the ballooning experience. We have zero tolerance to smoking in any company vehicles, at the launch site, during the flight or at the landing site. No flammable items are permitted to be carried in the aircraft & must be left in the vehicles, included but not limited to cigarette lighters, matches, aerosol sprays & hand sanitiser. Passengers who do not comply with this policy will be denied entry to the aircraft, they will not be eligible for a refund or to reschedule.
2. Copyright & Advertising or Selling any of our Flight Services
All our websites & images are copyright to Go Wild Ballooning P/L. No persons can legally reproduce any part of our websites not limited to text or images for any purpose including but not limited to personal, promotional or advertising for fundraising or sale without having written permission from the copyright owner. Any flight purchased for services provided by GWB, YVB or GB will immediately be deemed invalid, non-transferable & non-refundable in part or full if it is known that any of our services or products are being, or have been advertised for sale or sold on any social media or online selling platform without written permission from GWB P/L.
3. Balloon Observers / Balloon Chasers
We do not allow or encourage balloon chasers, observers & followers. All balloon followers are restricted from entering any private landowner property, any gated or restricted council property in any vehicle or on foot. Balloon followers are restricted to public areas & roads only and under no circumstances are they to enter any private or gated / locked property unless they have written permission from the property owner or relevant council. We will not be held liable for injury, damage or loss to any persons and / or property who trespass. Our launch and landing sites are different each day depending on the wind speed and direction, making it difficult for balloon followers. We recommend having your family & friends join you later for breakfast post flight.
4. Weather / Meteorology
- Our flying locations are chosen as they provide calm, cool air, suitable for flying hot air balloons
- Commercial Pilots, trained in meteorology, re-evaluate the weather several times each morning to establish the best launch site for that day
- Avoid following Melbourne weather forecasts, in particular long-range forecasts that provide an overall view of the whole day & are not necessarily relevant to early morning hot air ballooning
- Pilots have registered access to detailed weather reports from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) specific to ballooning in our flying locations
- We aim to launch around sunrise
- Hot air ballooning is a weather dependent activity, dress accordingly for the conditions and forecast
- No aviation flight or activity is ever 100% guaranteed, however, most flights do proceed on the scheduled day
- If your flight is cancelled by the pilot, we email a Rebooking Link so you may reschedule & fly on a better day
5. Passenger Participation
Any passenger 15 years of age or under, must be accompanied by a paying responsible adult passenger on the flight. Most passengers find that their involvement in the inflation & deflation process enhances their ballooning experience, however, it is optional & if a medical condition prevents you from participating, please inform us prior to your flight date so a mention of this can be made against your name on the Flight Manifest.
6. Pilot Cancellations & Rebooking a Cancelled Flight
Pilots are the only persons who are authorised to cancel a scheduled flight. Passengers need to factor in the possibility of a short notice cancellation. On rare occasions a flight may be cancelled on the launch site prior to take-off. Cancellations may occur due to a number of reasons including but not limited to weather, mechanical, ground conditions or a change in operational limitations.If your flight is cancelled by a pilot, you will receive a Rebooking Link so you may reschedule & fly another day. Flight booking & payment details will be held in credit until your expiry date. If you have a Weekday Flight you can only reschedule to a weekday date excluding most public holidays. Weekend Flights can rebook and fly any day of the week including public holidays. Do not leave it to the last minute or close to the expiry date to rebook, we may not have availability on your preferred date. Weekends can book out in advance, if they are unavailable, look at rebooking midweek. Avail yourself to rescheduling as many times as necessary to ensure your flight is completed by the expiry date. Any booking request to fly after the expiry date will incur additional fees.
7. Passenger/s – Cancelling a Confirmed Booking, Passenger Late Cancellations & No-Shows
Accepted for bookings made via the GWB, YVB & Bookme websites if received via email more than 7 days prior to the flight date. Cancellations or amendments to Geelong Ballooning bookings accepted if received in writing more than 14 days prior to the flight date. No verbal changes accepted. Not applicable for Exclusive Flights or large group bookings that have agreed to a 21 day no changes policy. Fees apply to any requests to amend or cancel a confirmed booking. Passengers who do not follow the Passenger Pre Flight Instructions & Check-In the evening before the flight, or have a change of mind due to, but not limited to weather & do not attend their scheduled flight, will not be rescheduled or refunded in part or full. Booking details will be deemed a No Show. In this instance a Medical Certificate will not be accepted. No Shows & passenger late cancellations are strictly non-refundable & will not be rescheduled. Please allow our highly trained commercial pilots to evaluate the weather relevant to the flying area, they are the only persons authorised to cancel a scheduled flight. If a passenger becomes unwell in the day/s prior to their confirmed flight – see below
8. Medical Cancellations
If a passenger has a acute injury, illness or medical condition that may prevent them from participating in their confirmed hot air ballooning activity please email us no less than 48 hours before the flight date providing a valid Medical Certificate from the doctor/patient in-person face to face consultation appointment stating that the passenger is unable to fly in at hot air balloon. Certificates that are back dated or provided for work purposes will not be accepted. A rebooking will only be considered by management if it includes all five (5) of the Australian Medical Association Guidelines. If accepted, the booking will be deemed non-refundable but eligible to rebook & fly before the expiry date. Hospital Emergency Medical Certificates may be accepted if received prior to the flight date. If a certificate does not provide a date when a passenger will be ‘fit to fly’ we will require a Medical Clearance Certificate from the same doctor/clinic prior to rebooking. Passengers who present unwell on a flight morning may be denied entry to the aircraft & may have their booking deemed a ‘No Show’. It is recommended passengers who have chronic pain / illness or injury that may prevent them from safely participating in or enjoying the ballooning activity should obtain a Medical Clearance from their GP before purchasing a flight.
9. Pregnancy
Hot air ballooning is not recommended for any pregnant persons. GWB, YVB or GB will not knowingly fly any person who is pregnant. Pregnant persons will be denied entry to the aircraft or if it is not evident that a person is pregnant or they do not disclose this information, the passenger inadvertently flys at their own risk. In this instance we will not be held responsible for any injury or loss that may occur during or after the ballooning experience. Pregnancy does not automatically initiate or entitle a passenger/booking to a free extension or refund. Management may consider that a pregnant person can fly if a Medical Clearance Certificate is received from an Obstetrician.
10a. Name Transfer on a Booking
Fees & conditions apply. Management will only consider requests received in writing if there is a minimum of 3 months validity remaining on a booking. Under no circumstances will we accept a change of name request if it is known that the product was advertised and / or sold on any social media or online selling platform, or if there was a breach of copyright. In this instance no changes will be accepted & the booking may be deemed invalid. The name change option is not available to Gift Certificate recipients. In exceptional circumstances & with written agreement from the recipient, we may transfer a Gift Certificate to the purchaser only for the remainder of the validity period. Please note that the recipient of a gift certificate is the legal owner and not the purchaser.
10b. Date Changes to a Confirmed Booking
Fees & conditions apply. Management will only consider requests received in writing to change a confirmed date. Requests received up to 7 days before the flight date – YV & 14 days before a flight date – Geelong will incur a fee. No changes accepted to a booking within 7 days YV & 14 days Geelong of a confirmed date unless prior approval in writing received by management, fees apply.
11. Re-Fly
On very rare occasions the pilot may deem a flight to be of poor quality or if the flight is of a short duration less than 35 minutes, the pilot may offer all passengers a re-fly. This offer is for the flight portion only and can only be taken midweek. This offer is valid for 3 months from the original confirmed flight date. In this instance passengers will receive an email outlining the offer. It is your responsibility to email reservations to reschedule and complete the re-fly offer within the 3 month validity. This offer is non-transferable & non-refundable. No rebooking requests will be accepted after 3 months.
12. Processing Fees
All fees are clearly displayed on the website booking / purchase form at check-out and are processed accordingly Stripe 1.75%, Paypal 1.95%. Fees charged to GWB, YVB & GB by your payment method at the time of purchase are strictly non-refundable.
13. Passenger Identification
Photo identification verification for both adults & children, may be requested on the flight morning by the pilot or ground crew. Failure to provide photo ID (passport / drivers licence or similar) for booking verification, may result in the passenger/s being denied entry to the aircraft.
14. Liability & Insurance
Under no circumstances will GWB be liable for direct, indirect, consequential or incidental damages including but not limited to lost or damaged property, lost profits or savings or damages for disappointment. GWB may arrange for the hot air ballooning to be performed under a ‘code sharing’ arrangement. It may sub-contract another company to provide you with your flight. In such instances GWB accepts no liability in connection with such services or for any loss, injury or damage to or in respect of any person or property. GWB reserves the right to alter contents or products and location when deemed necessary. GWB does however, warrant providing services of equal nature and value. In the event that a service must be delayed, cancelled or rescheduled, we will not accept any liability for out of pocket expenses, travel, accommodation, loss of income, inconvenience or other costs incurred or lost through such cancellations / delays. Personal belongings brought on board the aircraft or left in our vehicles are done so at your own risk. We recommend that you do not bring valuables or large items. Passenger liability insurance is included in the purchase price of each flight. We recommend passengers initiate their own travel insurance for cover limited to the following, loss, damage, illness & late cancellations. Highly recommended for all passengers (including interstate & international) who have booked a discounted or non-refundable flight & may not be able to reschedule if necessary & fly before the expiry date. Cancellations may occur due to a number of reasons including but not limited to weather, mechanical, ground conditions or a change in operational limitations. All passengers need to factor in the possibility of a short notice cancellation.
15. Passenger Responsibility
We advise passengers to initiate their own insurance in case of unforeseen circumstances that may prevent them from flying. This may be due but not limited to illness. Under no circumstances will flights be refunded or rescheduled if passengers cancel late or outside the terms of their purchase or do not arrive on time for their ballooning experience and miss their flight. Passengers are required to complete their flight package before the expiry date, therefore do not leave it close to the expiry date to book. Allow time to reschedule if necessary and complete your package by the expiry date to avoid additional extension fees. If weekends are not available, try booking midweek. It is your responsibility to make as many attempts as necessary to fly or your booking may expire. Ensure you have received relevant documentation prior to your flight date. All bookings are processed and confirmed within 6 hours or the next business day. The email address we use to correspond with passengers, is the one provided to us on the Booking Form. We phone passengers immediately if an email bounces back due to an incorrect email address otherwise we assume you have received all documentation. Check your Junk & Spam folder for any emails.
GWB has a zero tolerance to workplace bullying including any correspondence from a passenger deemed by our staff to be of a bullying, threatening nature or inaccurate information constructed to defame our company. Aggressive, rude, threatening, inaccurate and/or disruptive behavior received verbally (phone) or in writing towards our staff, company or other passengers (email, SMS, social media platform or online review platform) will not be tolerated & may result in your booking/flight package deemed invalid. Passengers who do not follow crew / pilot instructions on the morning, show signs of aggression or display threatening behavior, will be denied entry to the aircraft. In this instance, a reschedule or refund (if eligible) in part or full will not be considered and the whole booking will be deemed invalid. Management may consider legal avenues.
16. Privacy Policy
All staff members and customers/passengers agree to adhere to the Terms & Conditions provided on our website/s and booking documentation / links. Our privacy policy allows us to respond to email queries on our Platinum, Premium, Special & Exclusive bookings, including the financial transaction if received via email from the purchaser. The recipient of a Gift Certificate or Voucher is the legal owner of that product / service. We act to protect customer/purchaser details and will not disclose or discuss information about the purchase or the financial transaction with a recipient of any of our products. Passenger information is held confidentially in our system until the flight is completed or the expiry date, whichever is first.
17. Yarra Valley Flights, Geelong Flights & Specials – Non Refundable
Strictly non-refundable in part or full. Valid for 12 months from the original flight date.
Recommended for passengers who live local to the flight location area (Yarra Valley, Melbourne or Greater Geelong) who have the flexibility to reschedule if necessary and complete the flight before the expiry date. If you have a Weekday Flight you can reschedule to a midweek date excluding most public holidays. There is no option to upgrade to a weekend. Weekend Flights can rebook and fly any day of the week including public holidays. Rebooking fees apply to any request to reschedule after the expiry date. Transferable to other individuals, non-refundable fees apply. We reserve the right to consider amendments to a confirmed booking if received in writing more than seven (7) days before the flight date (GWB & YV) & more than 14 days for Geelong Flights. No amendments will be considered if less than the minimum period is provided. Passenger late cancellations & No Shows, will not be refunded or rescheduled. Our pilots are the only authorised persons who may cancel a scheduled flight. If your flight is cancelled by a pilot, you will receive a Rebooking Link via email to enable you to reschedule and fly on a better day.
18. Weekday Afternoon Flights – Non Refundable Discounted & strictly non-refundable. Flight duration approx 30 – 45 minutes. Flight location YV and surrounding regions. Valid to book & fly May – July. Passengers who have not completed their afternoon flight on or before the end of July will have the remaining validity period automatically transferred to a midweek sunrise / morning flight with a one hour flight duration. When rebooking you may select to fly midweek over the Yarra Valley or Geelong. No add ons or upgrades available. Recommended for passengers who live local to the flight location area (Yarra Valley & Greater Melbourne) who have the flexibility to reschedule if necessary and complete the flight by the expiry date. Rebooking fees apply to any request to reschedule after the expiry date. Transferable to other individuals, non-refundable fees apply. We reserve the right to accept amendments to a confirmed booking if received in writing more than seven (7) days before the flight date. No amendments will be considered if less than the minimum period is provided. Passenger late cancellations & No Shows, will not be refunded or rescheduled. Our pilots are the only authorised persons who may cancel a scheduled flight. If your flight is cancelled by a pilot, you will receive a Rebooking Link via email so you may fly on another day.
19. Vouchers
Purchasers & recipients of vouchers must adhere to GWB T&C’s from the date of purchase. Strictly non-refundable after 7 days from the purchase date or once redeemed. Vouchers are redeemed through a portal & all details verified prior to processing a booking request. Non-redeemed vouchers are eligible for a refund within 7 days of the purchase date. Valid to book in accordance with the purchase inclusions and in the selected location only. The flight must be completed by the expiry/valid to date advertised on the website & voucher. Vouchers may be transferred to others once redeemed, non-refundable fees apply. Rebooking Extension Fees apply to rebook after a expiry date. Vouchers cannot be redeemed after the expiry date therefore unredeemed vouchers are not able to purchase an extension. Vouchers will immediately be deemed invalid & non-transferable if advertised for sale on any social media or online selling platform. Not recommended for interstate or international customers on holiday or short stay itinerary who are unable to reschedule if necessary and complete the flight on or before the expiry date. Late passenger cancellations & No Shows will not be refunded or rescheduled. Our pilots are the only authorised persons who may cancel a scheduled flight. If your flight is cancelled by a pilot, you will receive a Rebooking Link. GWB reserve the right to accept amendments to bookings if received in writing more than 7 days prior to the flight date, however, non-refundable fees apply. No changes accepted within 7 days of a flight date.
20. Gift Certificates – Non Refundable & Non Transferable
GC’s are non-refundable in part or full and are strictly non-transferrable, nor can they be redeemed for cash. Full rate GC’s are valid for three (3) years from the date of purchase. Discounted / special occasion GC’s are valid for one (1) year from the date of purchase. GC’s are redeemed & booked online via the website homepage. Click the icon and complete the Booking Request Form. GC validity commences from the date of purchase to the expiry date located thereon. Rebooking fees apply if you request to reschedule after the expiry date. The new validity period regardless of when payment is made takes effect from the expiry date on the GC. Rebooking fees are strictly non-refundable. Our pilots are the only authorised persons who may cancel a scheduled flight. If your flight is cancelled by a pilot, you will receive a Rebooking Link. No changes will be accepted to a GC booking purchased via the GWB or YVB websites if the request is received less than seven (7) days prior to the flight date. No changes accepted to a GC booking purchased via the Geelong Ballooning website if the request is received less than fourteen (14) days prior to the flight date. In this instance booking details will not be changed. If it is known that a GC has been advertised and / or sold on any social media or online selling platform it will be deemed invalid. The name change option is not available to recipients of GC’s. In exceptional circumstances & with written agreement, we may transfer a GC to the purchaser – conditions apply. The recipient of a gift certificate is the legal owner of that product, not the purchaser. Late passenger cancellations & No Shows, will not be refunded or rescheduled.
21. Gift Cards – Non Refundable valid for 3 years from the date of purchase. Gift Cards are strictly non refundable and cannot be redeemed for cash. Whoever is in possession of the Gift Card may apply the full value of the gift card towards a new flight booking or gift certificate on our website when booking & if required pay the difference using your preferred payment method. Gift Cards can only be redeemed once. There is no credit or refund in part or full when a gift card has a balance remaining after it has been redeemed. If the Gift Card is not redeemed within the 3 year validity period, it will expire in full. When a Gift Card is redeemed for one of our flight packages the terms and validity period of the chosen flight package apply. If the Gift Card value is applied to any of our refundable flight options, the full card value remains strictly non-refundable and will be held in credit on the Gift Card until it is reapplied towards another flight package or it expires in accordance with the Gift Card expiry date. Gift Cards are strictly non-refundable in part of full. Keep your Gift Card in a safe place, we are unable to reissue a lost, stolen or misplaced Gift Card. Not eligible to be used in conjunction with exclusive private flights, gift certificates & accommodation packages.
22. Exclusive Flights – Non Refundable
Strictly non-refundable. Valid for 12 months. If your flight is cancelled by the duty pilot please reschedule & ensure you have completed your flight package either on or before the expiry date. If breakfast was included it will also be cancelled until you rebook. Passenger late cancellations & No Shows, will not be refunded or rescheduled. The pilot is the only authorised persons who may cancel a scheduled flight. If your flight is cancelled by a pilot, you will receive a Rebooking Link. Reschedule requests made after the expiry date will incur additional rebooking fees, $195 per person for 6 months back dated to the expiry date. Morning sunrise flights are not eligible to rebook to the afternoon. Transferrable to other individuals, non-refundable fees apply. GWB reserve the right to accept amendments to bookings if received in writing more than 21 days before the flight date. Afternoon Flights for 2 passengers that do not complete their flight before the end of July will have the remainder of the 12 month validity period revert to a morning sunrise midweek flight. Refer to 14. Liability & Insurance
23a) Refunds apply only to Premium Flight Upgrade – refundable selected from Additional Services & purchased at the time of booking. Valid only when the customer has adhered to the terms of purchase & requested a refund in writing within 14 days of the original cancelled flight date. Eligible refunds are processed within 14 days less fees we were charged at the time of booking by your payment provider plus a flat administration fee of 12.5%. All other advertised flight packages including discounted flights, specials, exclusive flights, vouchers, gift cards & gift certificates are strictly non-refundable in part or full.
b) Agents & Third Party Booking Platform Refunds – Valid only when the agent/customer has adhered to the terms of purchase & requested a refund in writing within 14 days of the original cancelled flight date. If eligible, the refund will be processed less fees we were charged at the time of booking by your payment provider (card payments only) less a flat admin/booking fee of 15%.
c) Group & Corporate Group Refunds – Valid only when the customer has adhered to the terms of purchase & requested a refund in writing within 14 days of the original cancelled flight date. If eligible the refund will be processed 1. Website Online Bookings – less fees we were charged at the time of booking by your payment provider (card fees) plus a flat 15% non-refundable admin fee. 2. Groups – (invoiced for payment) less a flat 20% non-refundable admin/booking fee
d) Refund General Information – A flight & breakfast package must be completed on the same day and cannot be split & taken over two days. There is no refund option for breakfast that is not completed on the day of the flight. Late passenger cancellations & No Shows, will not be eligible to be refunded or rescheduled. Our pilots are the only authorised persons who may cancel a flight. Rebooking fees apply if you request to reschedule after the expiry date. Transferable to other individuals, non-refundable fees apply.
e) Refunds & Travel / Personal Insurance – We recommend passengers initiate their own travel insurance for cover not limited to the following, loss, damage, illness & late cancellations. Highly recommended for all passengers (including interstate & international) who have booked a discounted or non-refundable flight & may not be able to reschedule if necessary & fly before the expiry date. All passengers need to factor in the possibility of a short notice cancellation. Cancellations may occur due to a number of reasons including but not limited to weather, mechanical, ground conditions, a change in operational limitations. In the event that a service must be delayed, cancelled or rescheduled, we will not accept any liability for any out of pocket expenses, travel, accommodation, loss of income, inconvenience or other costs incurred or lost through such cancellations / delays. Personal belongings brought on board the aircraft or left in our vehicles are done so at your own risk. We recommend that you do not bring valuables. Eligible passengers who miss the 14 day refund opening and are therefore not eligible for a refund through GWB or GB, may be able to claim through their own travel / personal insurance policy. Please have your insurance company contact us directly for verification.
24. Accommodation & Flights
Accommodation is not affected by weather and will proceed on the booked date. Failure to arrive will result in a forfeit of any monies paid for that service. Any changes need to be made directly with the venue in accordance with their T&C’s. If your balloon flight is cancelled by the pilot and you have purchased the non-refundable option, you have 12 months from the original date to reschedule & complete your flight. If you purchased the refundable option you may reschedule to another day or request a refund within 14 days of the original flight date. Transferable to other passengers, fees apply, conditions apply.
25. Third Party Bookings
When purchasing / booking any of our products through a third party, the purchaser on behalf of the passengers is also agreeing to the full T&C’s of Go Wild Ballooning P/L & Geelong Ballooning
Website: Open 24 hours a day for your convenience, booking orders receive immediate confirmation
Office Open: Monday to Friday to 4pm (16:00)
ABN: 45 007 283 098
P: +61 3 9739 0772
Website Link: https://www.gowildballooning.com.au/
Go Wild Ballooning gowild@gowildballooning.com.au
Yarra Valley Ballooning balloon@yarravalleyballooning.com
Geelong Ballooning info@geelongballooning.co
T&C’s subject to change