Soaring Adventures of America, Inc.

I had purchased a balloon ride for myself and my father for his birthday. We have been given the run around several times about scheduling. I now just want my $400 refunded. It is awful that this company would do this to people. I spent a lot of money to have this experience with my dad. Now I'm out the money and the experience. You need to make this right.

I too have been unable to find a local place to honor the flight tickets that I purchased 3/8/2016 on LivingSocial. My account shows that the certificate was marked "used" on 3/9/2016 which is even before I received the certificate. How can I begin the process of getting a refund? I've received no response to emails, the website is no longer active and I can't reach anyone by phone.

We purchased 3 adult tickets for a hot air balloon ride. April 29, 2015. We have attempted to use this voucher several times. The pilots in our area will not accept them because of nonpayment. We have called Soaring Adventures and left messages, and more recently, you cannot even leave a message. The website is no longer active.
We would like a refund.

Purchased tickets from soaring adventures last year and have yet to be able to take a hot air balloon ride because no one accepts the tickets anymore. I just want a ride or my money back! Tickets still not expired but it looks like I'm out of 400$. :( heartbroken. Just wanted to take a nice hot air balloon ride with my fiancée.

We purchased a voucher from Soaring Adventures from a fundraiser. However, the company never paid our balloonist so the money came out of our pocket instead.... This resulted in us paying an outrageous amount.

Review: I purchased a Soaring Adventures voucher in May 2015. There were two vendors in Indianapolis who were on their list. When I called them, one told me he was no longer working for them, and the other said he was unable to accept their vouchers because Soaring Adventures owed him over $10,000 and he hadn't seen any payments for more than 6 months. I submitted a refund request via US mail (per their refund guidelines I was given by Diane W.) and have still not received a refund. I have emailed Diane W. from Soaring Adventures several times asking for a status update on my refund, and those emails are going unanswered.Desired Settlement: I would like the refund I was promised by Soaring Adventures.

Business

Response:

Hi, We do have your request for a refund, We are able to refund you the price that the organization pays us for the flight ticket we discount our tickets for fundraising and we also donate a free balloon ride to them as well. We were paid $240.00 for the ticket that you won at the fundraiser. We will issue you the refund check as soon as we hear back from you. Thank you for your patience Diane

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution (a refund of $240) is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

Katie R[redacted]

Review: I purchased 2 hot air balloon vouchers from Soaring Adventures of America to be used with [redacted] Balloon Rides. I was scheduled to fly on September 12, 2015. [redacted] Balloon Rides contacted me the week before and told me they were no longer accepting vouchers from Soaring Adventures of America as Soaring Adventures had stopped paying them. I was advised that others were able to get a refund. I contacted Soaring Adventures on September 8, 2015 and September 10, 2015 about a refund. On September 11, 2015, I was emailed a document with the following information:

Hi,

We are sorry your ride did not work out for you. Please return your ticket to us at the

following address:

Soaring Adventures of America, Inc.

Attn: [redacted] If you have scheduled your ride with one of our pilots, you must call the pilot immediately

and cancel your reservation; otherwise, you will not be eligible for a refund.

Tickets purchased by credit card, check or through Groupon or Living Social will be refunded

by check to the original purchaser. Please include a note explaining the reason for the return.

Thank you,

Customer Service

Soaring Adventures of America, Inc

I returned my vouchers to the above address and included a note that asked them to email me at [redacted] when they received the vouchers. On September 28th, well over a week after I mailed the vouchers I had gotten no response so I emailed to ask if the vouchers had been received. I got no reply. I emailed again on October 5th with no reply. I called on October 8th and had to leave a voicemail. I got no reply. I called again on October 9th and left another voicemail. I got no reply. As of today, October 12th, I have gotten no response from Soaring Adventures of America.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund of my full purchase price of $382.90.

Business

Response:

Hi, We have processed [redacted]'s refund this morning, in the amount of $382.90 check # [redacted]. We are sorry that we did not see that [redacted] requested an email confirmation of receiving the tickets. We were out of the office for the long holiday weekend, We returned today and processed her refund. If there is anything else I can help with concerning this matter please contact me @ [redacted] Thank you Diane

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me as long as the refund is actually received.

Sincerely,

Review: This complaint is in regard to a hot air balloon flight for two persons through Soaring Adventures, where the delivered service was much less than what is advertised. After almost 4 years of schedule delays and lack of response by balloon operators, we finally got our balloon flight, and it was woefully short of the description on their website. We have flown on hot air balloons before, so we have some experience.

The advertised flight time is about one hour, ours lasted 24 minutes, at least one half of the advertised time.

The advertised flight distance is 5 to 10 miles, ours was about 2 miles per my GPS tracker.

The 4 person basket was packed (overloaded) with 6 people, so there was no room to turn to view the scenery, not the experience described on the website. As an aside, this extra weight may have contributed to the pilot's crashing the basket through the top of a tree.

Traditionally, and as advertised on the website, champagne served upon landing. This was not done.

In short, we received less than one half of the promised service as described on the website.Desired Settlement: Refund at least one half of the cost for one half of the undelivered service.

Business

Response:

Hi, I am returning to the office on Monday the 28th, I am very sorry to hear about this situation. We will be happy to give the customer a refund for the amount in dispute. We can issue them a refund check as soon as I am back in the office. If there is anything else I can do before then please let me know. Thank you Diane

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

Review: For the past 2 years. I have been trying to go on the balloon ride. It has expired and when I try calling. There is no one to return my call. Every month would be a no fly day. It wasn't because of the weather, it was mostly personal issues that he or his family were facing. One month was because he had to visit his friend in the hospital. The next month his sister passed away in an accident. Im not trying to sound mean or inconsiderate but he has a business and cannot be canceling on a monthly basis just for his personal isssues. Every month was something wrong with this guy! Very unprofessional. I hope no one else is going through this. This guy is very shady. I also found online that he was taken to court another state for sexual harassment. I just want my money back. [redacted], TX 77539###-###-####www.teamdreamcatcher.comDesired Settlement: REFUND.

Business

Response:

Hello Maureen,

You and I spoke on February 28th about the above-referenced case. As we discussed we have settled the case by issuing a refund check to Martha Lugo per her request. You recently sent us another letter in regard to this case. Is there anything else we need to do?

Roberta

Soaring Adventures of America, Inc.

Review: Soaring Adventures of America has an A rating with the Revdex.com and seemed like it would be a good company. I recently purchased a gift certificate during the Christmas season for a balloon ride for two people costing right around $380. They also offered a payment plan which was very convenient. I had paid my full amount in four layments. Anyways as my recipients of the gift certificate called to schedule their balloon ride they were told by the pilot in the [redacted] area that there was an extra fee of $30 per person. No where did it mention anything about hidden costs or fees. I was so embarrassed to hear this. I got this as a gift for my parents who are not in the best of health and do not have the extra money. I already paid $380 for the gift certificate and should not have to pay any more money especially since it was given as a gift. How embarrassing not only to me that there were hidden fees but also to the soaring adventures company. I called the number to speak with someone in customer service. They do not have a customer service phone number only a voicemail that your call is directed to. Thats convienient. Also you can choose to leave an email. I did both and actually did receive a response by email. However I was not happy with the response received via email. I asked to speak with an actual person. This seems like an impossible task to speak with a actual person to resolve this issue and always getting routed to voicemail or email. Anyways they said I could send back my gift certificate with a letter stating why I wanted a refund and I would be issued my money back. That would be great however this does not sit well with me at all. Something is not adding up. I can't speak with an actual customer service person and now they want me to just put in the mail my $380 gift certificate? What if it got lost or how would I track this? There must be an easier way but I wouldn't know since no one is ever available to speak with. They should be able to just cancel or deactivate the paper gift certificate and issue my refund. All this over a $30 per person extra hidden fees. This was not handled professionally or in a timely manner. I did call and email several times only because I am yet to be satisfied and also because its not like $380 is cheap! All I need is someone to actually contact me and issue me a credit card return. Once again after all this mess I just do not feel comfortable with this company just sending away my $380 gift certificate in the mail awaiting my refund.Desired Settlement: I would like a full refund of my money for the product that was paid for by credit card. I do not feel comfortable mailing a $380 gift certificate back in the mail to just get lost and/or not receiving credit first especially since no one is ever there to talk with from customer service.

Business

Response:

We were embarrassed

that Mr. [redacted] family members had this scheduling experience. We do not want our customers to pay extra money for a ticket that they bought from us in good faith. Subsequent to receiving Mr. [redacted] complaint on 4/15/15, we contacted our balloon pilot in [redacted] but unfortunately we were unable to resolve the situation. Therefore, we issued Mr. [redacted] a refund on 4/16/15. Attached is a copy of the credit receipt from that transaction.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I got my refund which is what I wanted. Overall a terrible experience with the customer service department for the soaring adventures company that they had to hide through emails the entire process rather than talk to me on the phone.

Sincerely,

I've been trying to get a refund from this business since October 2nd. The customer service rep has been rude and unhelpful. She responded to my e-mail with a form letter for refund requests. I've called three different times, and was told on October 8th that my refund would be processed today. Instead, I received two more e-mails with the form letter. The closest facility to my home was closed, and I'm not going to drive three hours each way to go to the next closest facility. When I attempted to call today, I received a message their mail box is full. Yesterday, I spoke with a gentleman who was very helpful, and assured me I would get a refund. This experience has been incredibly frustrating. I extended my original expiration dates for my tickets because after attempting to book flights multiple times, they were all cancelled due to weather.

Review: First of all, thanks for this service. These people have been Very uncooperative and just ignoring me.

This summer I paid for a two-person balloon ride--$383. Soon thereafter I cancelled, for personal reasons as I'm now disabled and don't need to spend such monies.

They replied that the money would be refunded in mid-November. Ok. Fine, I understand.

Well it's December 9th and nothing.

But what gets me is with my repeated requests they can't communicate-- at least tell me when I can expect my (much-needed) refund.

Get 'em!

Thanks again,

[redacted]Desired Settlement: Refund my money--as they promised back 5 months ago.

Thanks so much!

Business

Response:

Hi We are issuing [redacted] a refund check today. Sorry for the delay and thank you for your patience . Diane

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Thanks SO much, Revdex.com!

Sincerely,

Review: Since July 2015 I have been trying to get the promised refund from Soaring Adventures. On a number of occasions I have received e-mails from them that refund checks will be sent out next week or in x number of weeks. Only to be sorely disappointed again and again. I have called them a number of times and e-mailed them over dozen times in the regards to the trip and the refund. Here is a sample of their communication:

"Hi Xxxx, I have checked with Accounts payable and they are issuing refund checks in the next three weeks. Thank you for your patience. Customer Service" - Soaring Adventures 9/11/2015

"They are getting the refund checks out next week Thank you for your patience" - Soaring Adventures 10/8/2015

To this date I haven't seen anything from them except broken promises in my inbox.

I am very disappointed with their service or more exactly lack thereof.Desired Settlement: I would like to get my refund of $341.90 as promised by Soaring Adventures on a number of occasions.

Business

Response:

Hi we are sorry for the delay in sending out your refund check, We are putting a check in the mail to you today. Check #[redacted] in the amount of 342.90 Thank you for your patience.

Review: Have not received refund. No way to contact business through telephone. The only way to contact them seems to be though email. This seems like a very unprofessional way to operate and I am still waiting for a refund. I am deeply concerned that they are not going to issue the refund.Desired Settlement: Refund

Business

Response:

Hi, I have checked with Accounts payable and they have never received the tickets back in the mail to issue the refund. We will be more than happy to give her a refund When we send the refund check to her we will put a self address stamped envelope in with the check, so she can send back the flight tickets. Please let us know if this is ok. Thank you Diane

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: I mailed the original tickets . I no longer have the original tickets. It does not make any sense to me that they are saying they never received them. They should be able to see that they were never used. When I submitted the original refund request, they said I had to send back the actual tickets. I mailed the flight tickets including my name , address, phone, email and reason for return and a self addressed stamped envelope.

How am I supposed to get the refund now? It seems like they are trying to avoid giving me the refund.

Sincerely,

Review: On April 13, 2015 I purchased 2 tickets for a hot air balloon ride as a gift for my Mother for Mother's Day. My bank account was charged $384.90 for this purchase that very same day. My Mother recently scheduled her ride and it was supposed to be taking place today at 5pm. However, we received an email stating that her ride was being canceled due to "Soaring Adventures of America" having not paid the balloon company, so they would not honor any tickets that were purchased from "Soaring Adventures". I contacted "Soaring Adventures" via telephone on 09/30 and was told that I would have to send an email request for a refund. I sent the refund request via email the morning of 09/30, and by the same time the following morning I still had gotten no response. I sent a second email requesting my refund on 10/01. I also began calling the company again and this time I cannot get through to talk with anyone, only a recording telling me to contact them by email.

I want to be refunded the $384.90 that was taken from me almost 5 months ago! Frankly, I feel that interest should be paid on this as well, considering how long they have kept my money!Desired Settlement: Full refund of $384.90 within the next week at the very latest and interest!

Business

Response:

Hi, We would be happy to give this customer a refund, We are currently under negotiation with our pilots at this time. We are hoping to get this situation settled in a timely manor. All the customer has to do is return the flight ticket back to us and please put to my attention Diane and we will issue her a refund check. she can just provide us with to whom to make the check out to and where to mail the check. Thank you Diane

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:I have already mailed the flight tickets with my contact information back to you at the address provided. However, the "refund policy" that your company forwarded on to me clearly indicates that refunds are processed in "financial quarters" and that I could potentially be waiting until November or December for you to cut a refund check to me. This is completely unacceptable, considering that you have already held my money for 5 months. Your Company knew when you accepted my payment and sent those tickets to me, back in April, that the tickets were no good. You simply sat back and waited for me to realize it, and that is terrible business practice! If that money had been sitting in my bank account this whole 5 months, I would have accrued interest on it all of this time. Instead, your company more than likely gained interest on MY funds! Therefore, I feel it is only fair for your company to reimburse me with interest for the 5 months you stole my money, and I do not think I should have to wait another month or more for my refund!

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We have issued you a refund as you requested it was processed yesterday as per my email. it is check # [redacted]

Review: We Accepted payment vouchers from soaring adventures for balloon rides purchased by customers in our area with promise of payment on these vouchers within 10 days of submission. We have now submitted over $12,000.00 of vouchers as early as September upon which we have not been paid.Desired Settlement: Immediate Payment for all vouchers which we have submitted to Soaring adventures

Business

Response:

Hi, We have tried to contact our pilot, but he out of the country until November 22, 2015 We will contact him when he is back and get this issue resolved. I didn't want to not respond to this complaint. I wanted to let you know what the situations was and why there was a delay in responding. Thank you Diane

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

Review: I can never get in contact with these people to schedule a ride for the past 3 months.

For 3 months I called, emailed and even posted on Facebook to 3 locations in Connecticut and not a single word of communication back from them. Desired Settlement: I want to schedule a balloon ride for 2 people because I have a voucher. I want to have it scheduled before September.

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2013/07/16) */

We apologize for the difficulties Mr. [redacted] is having making his reservations. The weather had been a factor early in the season. We would like to offer the following resolution: (1) We can contact the pilot on behalf of Mr. [redacted] and ask the pilot to call him or (2)we can issue a refund immediately. Mr. [redacted] should contact the office between the hours of 10AM-4PM, ask to speak with [redacted]. The number is XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Review: I purchased a balloon ride for $379.00 and have tried to book it in 2 different places and states ([redacted] and [redacted]) for over a month now. Both locations indicate they no longer accept Soaring adventures flight tickets. The [redacted] location indicated they "might" at the end of the month, but are not sure. Asked me to contact Soaring Adventures directly. I have left 2 voice messages and sent 2 email's as instructed on the phone. I received a response to one with absolutely no content. I replied to that (making it my 3rd time to email) indicating there was no information. I have had no response. This is very disappointing for 2 reasons - I intended to take a friend of mine on the ride for her birthday and now I have to tell her we can't go and the customer service in trying to get this resolved has been non existent. We have used Soaring Adventures in the past but we won't in the future and I will never recommend them based on this incident.Desired Settlement: I would like a response from someone in charge and a refund if I'm not going to be able to use the ticket in [redacted] in October.

Business

Response:

Hi, I am out of the office until the 28th, We have responded with an attachment for her to get a refund. Unfortunately she must not be able to open the attachment. We can issue her a refund check as soon as I'm back in the office. We will need to get the flight ticket returned to our office., that was part of the refund in instructions in the attachment. If you need anything else before then please let me know. Diane

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

I don't know where I am supposed to send the flight ticket or to who's attention? There are many phone #'s (that are no longer working) and no physical address I can find for refund?

Review: I purchased a certificate for a hot air balloon ride; $334.90.

I live in [redacted]. Balloon rides were advertised as being available in [redacted]. I contacted those providers to find out they no longer accepted balloon ride certificates from Soaring Adventures of America.

I have attempted to call Soaring Adventures of America three times. My calls have not been returned.

I have emailed there help line with no response.Desired Settlement: Refund of entire purchase price of $ 339.90

Business

Response:

Good Morning, We have had pilots in the [redacted] area for about 30 years. They recently finished flying our customers on August 15th of this year. We are currently working on getting new pilots out in these areas to fly our customers. We will be happy to give this customer a refund, that is not a problem. Could you have the customer contact us by telephone so I can get all the details on whom and where to send the refund check. They can contact me @ [redacted] and they should ask for [redacted] If there is anything else we can do help with this complaint please let us know. Thank you [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

I will accept there response when I have received full reimbursement for $334.90.

Sincerely,

Review: I bought my husband a hot air balloon ride for his birthday in September of 2015. I received my flight ticket in the mail along with a brochure of places I could ride with. I called to set up my ride with a local company and was given a date. Two days before my flight, the local company canceled indicating that Soaring America was not paying them; therefore, they would not take us out. I was completely disappointed, so I requested a refund. After two email attempts to get refund information, it was finally sent to me. Their policy indicated that they refund quarterly, so I needed to submit to the 4th quarter refund center. The letter indicated that refunds are processed October-December and the earlier refunds are requested, the earlier they were mailed. I sent my self-addressed stamped envelope and flight ticket to Soaring American on October 5, 2015. On December 29, 2015, I emailed them asking about my refund because I still had not received it and it was the end of their refund period. I received an email back three days later indicating that refunds were being processed the following week. I waited all week and have yet to receive my refund of over $300. This is outside of their "refund window" as it is now January 9, 2016, and way longer than any customer should have to wait to be reimbursed.Desired Settlement: I would like a full refund processed immediately. I paid $339 in September and have yet to see any form of repayment.

Business

Response:

Hi, We issued a refund check to [redacted] on 01/06/15 check [redacted] It should be arriving in the mail soon. Thank you for your patience Diane