Air Balloon Sports

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/06/03) */
I did try to fax a response and supporting documentation today, but received a log report that the transmission had been interrupted. For more information, please feel free to call. I am sorry for the delay in responding; I was travelling from...

8 May through 29 May. There was no fax waiting upon my return, nor did we receive an email from you.
Revdex.com Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois
Fax XXX-XXX-XXXX
From: Air Balloon Sports
XXX-XXX-XXXX
3 June 2015
Re: Case [redacted]
Mr. [redacted] first booked with us, using Living Social vouchers numbered XXXXXXXXXXXXX and [redacted] (which expired 9 September 2013), for 16 October 2012. His subsequent bookings, from our booking system (which was not implemented until the 2013 season) are as follows:
This booking was made from admin website at 10:19:25 PM on 4/28/2014 for customer [redacted] by 'Super Admin'
This booking moved from 5/31/2014 to 6/8/2014 on 8:37:10 PM at 5/30/2014 by 'Super Admin'
Offered 6/6SS, WCB -comment added on 11:33:24 AM at 6/6/2014 by 'Super Admin'
Called @ last minute (6/8SS), didn't seem to realize she was booked for this flight. -comment added on 8:37:16 PM at 6/8/2014 by 'Super Admin'
Vouchers expired 9/9/13 -comment added on 1:35:16 PM at 10/6/2014 by 'Super Admin'
Booked 10/16/12 -comment added on 1:46:59 PM at 10/6/2014 by 'Super Admin'
Begging to avoid extension surcharge, willing to pay $60 for two -comment added on 7:50:17 PM at 10/6/2014 by 'Super Admin'
Offered 10/22SS, husband working -comment added on 12:44:35 PM at 10/22/2014 by 'Super Admin'
Our terms and conditions state the following:
Rescheduling a canceled flight - In the event of cancellation by STL Air Balloon Rides due to weather, or other circumstances, the flight will be rescheduled as soon as possible. Unfavorable weather often requires customers to schedule several times before taking their flight. We recommend that you reschedule within two weeks of cancellation. To avoid expiration of any voucher or certificate, you must book at least once a month. We hold space on future flights for passengers whose flights have been canceled. A balloon ride is a partnership between you and STL Air Balloon Rides; our primary goal is providing you a safe, enjoyable experience as soon as conditions permit. We can control neither the weather, nor luck. In the unfortunate event of a cancellation, flights must be rescheduled; this helps limit your cost and helps us avoid substantial losses. Please try to understand, and have patience. When you reschedule (sometimes it will be necessary to do so more than once - don't give up), you will enjoy a magnificent experience.
(from STLBalloon.com)
We did not hear from him in 2013 (as best I can determine), but we permitted him to reschedule three times in 2014, without any additional charge. Their failure to appear for the flight booked for 8 June 2014, which was flown, constitutes a "no show", which means they are considered flown. When contacted more than a year after the expiration date, we offered them the opportunity to renew their vouchers for $60/person, rather than the normal charge of the difference between what they had paid Living Social and the current retail price of the flight (which is what the vouchers say, and what most merchants do). That offer is no longer available to them.
These vouchers were not purchased from us, and are not refundable by us. I explained to them when a refund was requested that they needed to contact the company from which the vouchers were purchased. I do not know if they did that.
Hot air balloon rides are completely weather dependent. It is not at all unusual to have to schedule several times, (about which all passengers are advised, particularly in the fall). It takes patience and persistence to go on a hot air balloon ride, and we are very sad that Mr. [redacted] has been disappointed. The safety of our passengers is always our top priority. Though the weather may "seem just fine" to those who do not pilot hot air balloons, and have no awareness of what the parameters for safe flight conditions are, if our pilots feel it will be unsafe to fly, we do not fly. Hot air ballooning is the way we earn a living, we probably want to fly even more than our passengers do.