ComplaintsforFly Ohio Ballooning, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  12/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I paid for a service back in June of 2022. I have only been able to scheule a 3 times and since the last time I have been unable to get a hold of ***. I have sent multiple texts and emails with little to no response. We are now in December of 2023 and have not had any response sinc August 2023

  Business response

  12/15/2023

  My apologies to ***.  I believe I did let her know that I was having medical issues.  I thought I had communication covered but I see now that this was not always the case.

  We have some of the best pilots with us now in order for us to be able to get caught up.  We can reschedule now or wait until spring if you would prefer.

  Fly Ohio Ballooning has been in business for over 35 years and have safely flown over 10,000 passengers, making us the most experienced balloon ride company in Central Ohio.  We had an A+ rating with the BBB for almost this entire time because we always did our best to get the best flights possible for our passengers.  We plan to do this again and we look forward to your flight.

  Thanks,

  Customer response

  12/22/2023

  on the following dates I messaged via text and email with no response:

  2/2/23, 5/8/23, 7/10/23, 7/12/23, 8/5/23, 9/13/23, 11/3/23, 12/14/23

  6/28/23 we were scheduled to go up but we were not notified until the morning of, after my family had traveled several hours for this flight at very early am hours. We were supposed have received a notification that our flight was cancelled the day prior per *** due to illness however this notification was not provided.

  on 8/17/23 I texted/emailed and your one and only response was that you were in the hospital and you would get back to me asap. I then messaged you in Sept, Nov and Dec with no responses to schedule.

  At this point in time, I am not confident in your services and/or business legitimacy and I would like my refund for services never provided.
  
  

  Business response

  01/02/2024

  2023 was a very difficult year for us.  Prior to that we had 35 years in business and over 10,000 satisfied passengers flown and maintained an A+ rating with the BBB the entire time.  Unfortunately I had health issues in late 2022 and 2023.  It was difficult to get many flights in and even communication proved difficult.  Some of the things we did proved insufficient and we apologize for that.

  We have made arrangements for 2024 with some additional pilots to help us get caught up.  Fortunately many of the current pilots operating in Central Ohio are previous students of ours that we have trained.  They are wanting to help us out.  Communication will be vastly improved as well.

  Due to the difficulties of 2023 we are unable to offer any refunds but we are hopeful to add you to our long list of satisfied customers during the 2024 season.

  Sincerely,

  ***

   

  Customer response

  01/09/2024

  [If you do not say why you are rejecting the company's response, BBB must close your complaint.] 
  
  
  Complaint: 21008544
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  I’m finding it highly unprofessional that due to the lack of your communication and hardships of 2023 you will not authorize a refund.  I’m very understanding when it comes to chronic illness and things being difficult, but as a customer I was ignored on more than one level (phone, text, email), which doesn’t give me the confidence to move forward and trust future communication. 
  Please know, that I look at not being refunded for a service you did not provide and didn’t communicate is nothing more than taking someone’s money for your benefit.  It’s a shame.
  
  Regards,
  
  *** Cunningham

• Initial Complaint

  11/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I prepaid $600 for a ride of four on October 6, 2023 to fly morning of October 15, 2023. After the owner cancelled three times on us the night before for various reasons (weather, wet fields, parade), he finally offered to take us Friday of Thanksgiving since we would be in town. I accepted, but after trying to contact him throughout the week leading up to that Friday (11/24), I finally requested a refund. I've received no response to any of my texts or calls, so have now resorted to filing a complaint with the BBB. Wish I had seen this F grade before booking with Fly Ohio Ballooning.

  Business response

  11/29/2023

  I have been in the hospital since last Tuesday and will be reaching out to the customer today.  I do apologize that he was not contacted, I thought he had been.  I will do so myself today. 

  While we have had problems with the weather (beyond our control and getting worse for ballooning safely every year) and recently my health, causing some problems (our fault) we have had some issues with about 8-10 customers this year.  In the same time we have had wonderful flights with many more customers than that.   My son and some of the local pilots have stepped in to help during this difficult time.  Most all of the local pilots are previous students of mine.  I hope that our history of safely flying over 10,000 passengers over the past 35 years, and maintaining an A+ rating with the BBB for almost that entire time will be seen as proof that we are committed to our customers. Best Regards,

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  11/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Pre paid on 8-9-23 for a hot air balloon flight on 8-14-23. Cancelled due to inclement weather. Tried many times to reschedule but could not get a return call. When I finally talked to *** ****** he asked if I still was interested in a flight. I said no, I just wanted a refund. His answer was "I'll see what I can do." No refund has been forthcoming and he no longer answers my calls.

  Business response

  11/15/2023

  I have been dealing with a very antibiotic resistant bacteria call Klebsiella Pneumonia.  I acquired this at the new Dublin hospital while there for shoulder replacement surgery.  From what I understand it can only be acquired at a hospital and it has taken all this time to finally come up with a mixture of antibiotics to finally get rid of.  In the mean time we did the best we could to schedule passengers but admittedly this did not always go perfectly well.  I was often in quarantine at the hospital and there were times I did not expect to make it home.  My family and I were more focused on my winning this battle.
  Having been in and out of the hospital for this duration, and having almost no income, we are not in a position to be able to offer refunds at this time.  When first contacted by *** ******* I was finally at the very end of this long battle but felt sure we would be able to take care of his flight. We do have other pilots that are helping to get us caught up and we are doing so as quickly as possible.  With it being November we understand that some of our customers have chosen to wait until spring.  My health has improved considerably and we believe this will be taken care of quickly.
  I offer my sincere apologies.  With over 35 years in business and over 10,000 satisfied passengers flown, Fly Ohio Ballooning remains the company that has introduced more Central Ohioans to the beauty of a hot air balloon ride than any other company.  We appreciate your patience and understanding.
  Thanks,  *** ******

  Customer response

  11/29/2023

  [If you do not say why you are rejecting the company's response, BBB must close your complaint.] 
  
  Complaint: 20867976
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  The company claims to have no funds to provide me with a refund. While the owner has a sad story, taking money for services you can't provide and refusing to refund the money is the very definition of fraud. At this point even if he offered to provide the service I would not be comfortable doing business with him. He has not contacted me with any offer of any kind and will not answer my calls or texts.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** *******

• Initial Complaint

  11/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We bought 8 gift certificates for hot air rides in 8/2020. That fall he cancelled the roses twice due to weather . He then stated nope. Dates for us after that . 2021 said he would schedule- numerous calls and emails - the company doesnt respond . Fall they sent an email saying he had been sick and was going to get all the rides done . Numerous texts and calls and emails and no response. 2023 is coming to an end- no responses to requests . Requested our money back and he ignores all correspondence . I see this is common with his customers here.

  Business response

  11/15/2023

  The reason that there are a few similar messages is that this is the same case.  I have been dealing with a very antibiotic resistant bacteria call Klebsiella Pneumonia.  I acquired this at the new Dublin hospital while there for shoulder replacement surgery.  From what I understand it can only be acquired at a hospital and it has taken all this time to finally come up with a mixture of antibiotics to finally get rid of.  In the mean time we did the best we could to schedule passengers but admittedly this did not always go perfectly well.  I was often in quarantine at the hospital and there were times I did not expect to make it home.  My family and I were more focused on my winning this battle.

  Having been in and out of the hospital for this duration, and having almost no income, we are not in a position to be able to offer refunds at this time.  We do have other pilots that are helping to get us caught up and we are doing so as quickly as possible.  With it being November we understand that some of our customers have chosen to wait until spring.  My health has improved considerably and we believe this will be taken care of quickly.

  I offer my sincere apologies.  With over 35 years in business and over 10,000 satisfied passengers flown, Fly Ohio Ballooning remains the company that has introduced more Central Ohioans to the beauty of a hot air balloon ride than any other company.  We appreciate your patience and understanding.

  Thanks,  *** ******

  Customer response

  11/15/2023

  [If you do not say why you are rejecting the company's response, BBB must close your complaint.] 
  
  Complaint: 20865913
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the company has had three years to rectify the complaint . I am sorry to hear of your health , but as a business best practice after 10,000 riders would be to have money in savings held for the people who have paid in case they could t get rides , like in our case.  

  No rides were offered this year. There was no response to communication or contact this year until now. I have no reason to trust that next year you will schedule or accommodate our 8 passenger / 2 balloon flight. 
  In the future I would not collect payment until rides are done . I do not admirer to a different vendor . I’m sure there is a way to reimburse your customers. 
  
  Regards,
  
  **** *******

• Initial Complaint

  10/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 11/9/21 I had purchased a balloon ride for my wife and I for our anniversary from *** ****** at Fly Ohio Ballooning. I had tried multiple times to schedule our flight and it continued into 2022. I had decided that we would wait until the Spring of 2022 since the weather would be nicer than late Fall 2021. During the 2022 calendar year I had scheduled flights that were cancelled due to weather which I understand, but all flights that I tried to scheduled in the 2022 calendar year were cancelled. During the 2023 calendar year I tried rescheduling again, but all flights were again cancelled. I have been trying to reschedule, but the company will not answer my texts or emails and I just want a refund. Do not purchase a flight from this company prior to the flight, it's not worth it. I am the one who keeps trying to schedule the flight without any help from the company. They do not provide open dates, but I see their balloons in the sky in Marysville on nice days.

  Business response

  10/31/2023

  First my apologies to *** ******.  Fly Ohio Ballooning has been operating for over 30 years and we have flown over 10,000 satisfied customers. We would love to add him to that number.

  There are very few, if any, sports other than hot air ballooning that are more totally controlled by the weather.  In our 30+ years in operation I can't think of anybody that watches the weather closer than I do.  From that extreme studying the weather I can verify that something is happening to make everything about the weather to be getting more intense.  The end result of that are much fewer days that are conducive to safe ballooning.  Safety is always our first consideration for every single flight we do.  With that, we can't and won't lower our weather safety standards just because our scheduled passengers have been scheduled previously.

  With that I have had some recent health issues involving an antibiotic resistant infection that has had me in the hospital way too much in 2023.  I have had a few people helping with getting some flights taken care of, as well as helping with communication to our customers.  Obviously my not always being available to steer the boat has created some problems and for that I do sincerely apologize.  Our literally decades of service, and an A+ BBB rating for all those years does show that when everything and everyone is healthy and operating correctly, we have hundreds of happy customers every year.

  2022 and then especially 2023 has been extremely difficult.  With just dealing with the weather, every balloon company in Central Ohio has had to deal with multiple cancellations.  BTW, most of those companies are using pilots that I have trained.  Adding my health has been difficult but we have had some of those pilots helping to keep an operation running,  For those passengers we haven't been able to take care of we do apologize for that and the lack of communication for some.  Our income has also been greatly reduced if not practically stopped, a very difficult thing to deal with while also fighting just to be healthy.  This makes refunds practically impossible.  I am hopeful that the last round of antibiotics (actually a cocktail of multipe antibiotics) will continue to be successful and that our remaining customers will accept our apology and absence and that we will be to get them flown as soon as possible.

  Sincerely,

  *** ******

  Customer response

  11/01/2023

  [If you do not say why you are rejecting the company's response, BBB must close your complaint.] 
  
  Complaint: 20745520
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I cannot get in contact with the company.  They are not returning emails or text messages.  They are not providing any open dates for a flight.  How am I supposed to have a flight when nobody will get back to me?  They responded to the BBB, but have not responded to me in months.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******** ******

  Business response

  11/02/2023

  We do apologize that we must have missed your messages while I was ill and/or in the hospital.  We tried to keep up with our messages but obviously that didn't always work so well.

  I am out of the hospital for good I hope, I believe they finally found the right mixture of antibiotics.  I say we because I have my son and some other pilots helping us to get caught up.  The best way to contact us to schedule is through email at *************************** .  I assure you that we will respond within 24 hours.

  Thanks,

• Initial Complaint

  09/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I purchased a balloon flight for my two sisters and their husbands for Christmas. I already paid for it all upfront. My sister scheduled a date with the owners. In an email on July 16, *** confirmed that August 16 was a date that he was available. She followed up on July 17 asking where they should go. He never responded. She followed up again on July 25, August 1 and August 15. We’ve made several attempts to call him message him, and he does not respond. We have made every attempt to use this gift certificate that I purchased on 12/12/2021. The gift certificate policy says they are good for 4 years. Here is the contact information on the email. *** Scobee Fly Ohio Ballooning FAA CRS IF5R933M 20724 Wolford Maskill Rd. Marysville, OH 43040-8878 ************* visit our website *************************

• Initial Complaint

  08/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  November 2022 I purchased a flight. My account was charged immediately. November 11, Bob cancelled the flight for November 12. Stating, "the OSU game is scheduled for 12 noon which would have had us doing our commercial flights prior to the game and schedule our passenger flights for the late afternoon. Unfortunately they are calling for rain and even a chance of snow, and clouds to low for us to even be legal to fly. We will need to reschedule. Can we plan to communicate tomorrow to get you rescheduled and can you let me know you received this about having to cancel tomorrow? Thanks." I reached out to Bob via phone in April 2023 and left a voicemail. No response. May 2023 via text, no response. May 2023 via email. No response. July 2023 via email and he responded asking what my availability would be. I responded. He never responded back. I emailed him again at the end of July asking if there was availability or if a refund would be easier for him. No response. I would like my money refunded as a resolution. This is a ridiculous way of conducting business.

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