| In our first article we explained the difference | | | | diving. Most include hot air balloon adventures. You |
| between a hot air balloon "operator" and a hot air | | | | are usually better off dealing directly with the |
| balloon ride "broker." To quickly recap, a balloon | | | | company whose service that you wish to |
| ride operator owns and operates (that is they fly | | | | purchase. Keep in mind that the actual company |
| or pilot) the balloon that you will actually fly in. | | | | specializes in what it is that it does, whereas the |
| They are in business to sell you the tangible ride. | | | | broker only specializes in selling a commodity |
| A ride broker does not own any balloons and is in | | | | represented by a piece of paper. |
| business to sell you only a gift certificate. Care | | | | Balloon Ride Operators are most often one stop |
| must be taken when looking for a balloon ride | | | | shopping for just a balloon ride. A few companies |
| company, online or when responding to a | | | | have diversified and added airplane or biplane rides. |
| newspaper advertisement, to ensure that you are | | | | This is because those companies have an actual |
| dealing with a reputable balloon ride operator. If | | | | pilot or pilots on staff with multiple licenses for |
| the differences are not clear to you or the issue | | | | different categories of aircraft and they also own |
| of why you should deal directly with an operator | | | | an airplane. |
| vs. a broker, I suggest you spend a few minutes | | | | Pricing |
| reading about it here in our January 12, 2009 | | | | Brokers are volume dealers that rely on the |
| publication by the same title. | | | | number of rides sold to make their profit. This is |
| Some Quick Ways to Tell an Actual Hot Air | | | | why they advertise so heavily. They advertise |
| Balloon Operator from a Broker in a Web Search | | | | prices that are substantially lower than the area |
| None of these descriptions, by themselves, are | | | | market. They advertise in all major newspapers |
| clear indicators of a broker. Taken together they | | | | and other media especially during peak gift giving |
| will help you narrow your search for a legitimate | | | | times. There are various offers of discount |
| hot air balloon ride operator. | | | | coupons, holiday specials, and lowest price available |
| Search Engine Listing Results | | | | anywhere. They have to attempt to garner the |
| Brokers are often the top listing on any search in | | | | market to stay in business. Beware of pricing that |
| the "sponsored links." They have huge advertising | | | | seems substantially out of line from the rest. |
| budgets and run hundreds of identical sites with | | | | Balloon Ride Operators will not usually have the |
| different domain names and web addresses to | | | | lowest price due to the fact that they have to |
| mislead you into thinking they are local. One such | | | | purchase, maintain and insure the equipment |
| broker actually has 1600 web sites for their | | | | necessary to fly you. In addition to the hardware, |
| product. These sites share the same page design | | | | the operator must hire personnel and learn the |
| and use the same street address. They change | | | | skills to provide you the service. This burden adds |
| the city or state name for the individual site. | | | | up in actual dollar cost and years of commitment. |
| Balloon Ride Operators are usually farther down | | | | Why the Huge Price Variations? |
| the list and not in the sponsored links or the pay | | | | There are many reasons for price differential. |
| per click section at the top and they rarely have | | | | Brokers do not own aircraft and have none of |
| more than one site. | | | | the costs associated with owning and operating |
| Number of Locations | | | | them and this is one of the reasons they are so |
| Brokers have rides available nationally and at | | | | low cost. Ownership costs include: initial purchase |
| hundreds of locations. | | | | of the balloon which could be 30 to 60 thousand |
| Balloon Ride Operators usually have only one, two, | | | | dollars, or more, depending on the size of the |
| or three states that they list as flying in. Often | | | | balloon. There is insurance, fuel, a chase vehicle, |
| only one state, especially if that state is | | | | and crew. There are significant variations of price |
| geographically large. If they operate in multiple | | | | among legitimate balloon ride operators. Full time, |
| states it is usually in border areas where the | | | | professional ride companies will often be the best |
| state lines are close together, i.e. MD, PA, and DE | | | | value for the price. They may not be the least |
| or MD and VA. | | | | expensive but are often the most experienced. |
| There is a simple reason for this; ballooning is a | | | | Many companies may be part time and are |
| very weather dependent activity and the decision | | | | actually subsidizing a hobby. Since they do not rely |
| to fly is often made very close to flight time. If | | | | on the income from ballooning to live on, they are |
| passengers have a substantial travel distance it | | | | often lower in price. Ballooning is an expensive |
| poses logistical problems for the balloon company; | | | | hobby that pushes many sport enthusiast pilots to |
| the weather could be uncertain or it could change | | | | find a way to make it pay for itself. Geography |
| making the decision about whether to fly or not | | | | also plays a role in pricing. Many parts of the |
| to fly very difficult for the balloon ride company! | | | | country are seasonal for balloon flights; this is |
| Most companies don't solicit passengers from | | | | because the weather stops cooperating, or |
| more than two hours drive time away. If they | | | | passenger demand ceases during the winter |
| do, they are more interested in your money than | | | | months, or both. Areas that do not enjoy year |
| the inconvenience to you of having to drive a long | | | | round flying, have higher pricing during their normal |
| distance for a possibly postponed flight. Depending | | | | flying season. This is done to offset the months |
| upon the geographic location of your flight, and | | | | that the companies do not or cannot fly. Places |
| time of year that you intend to fly, you may only | | | | that have mild seasons and good flying conditions |
| have a 50/50 chance of the weather cooperating | | | | all year around, generally have lower pricing as a |
| on any given day! | | | | result. |
| How Many Types of Rides | | | | Toll Free Numbers |
| Brokers offer rides in everything - Balloons, | | | | Brokers will often use toll free or 800 numbers |
| Gliders, Skydiving, Helicopters, etc. A new | | | | for their telephone. Many have also begun using a |
| innovation on the web is the birth of the | | | | local number that forwards to an out of state |
| adventure gift company. These are companies | | | | headquarters to appear more local. Pay attention |
| that provide experience gifts in just about | | | | and listen to see if your call is being handled at a |
| everything from adventure traveling to scuba | | | | call center, if it is, you have called a broker. |