Hot Air Balloon Safety in Marrakech: How We Decide to Fly

"Is ballooning really safe?"

It's a fair question, and many of our guests ask it before they book. Some people imagine a balloon as something fragile, drifting out of control. The reality is very different. People have flown in hot air balloons since 1783, and a balloon is one of the calmest ways to fly: it moves with the wind, so there is no feeling of speed and almost no breeze in the basket.

What makes a balloon flight safe is not luck. It is the decisions made before and during every flight: the weather, the equipment, the briefing and the landing. That is where we put all our attention.

We are a licensed company with expert pilots, more than 10 years of flying in Marrakech and more than 2,000 hours in the air, and every flight is insured. Here is exactly how we decide to fly.

The morning check

Balloons fly with the wind, not against it, so the wind decides everything. Before every flight our pilot looks at:

• Wind at the ground, at the launch field itself, not only on a forecast
• Wind higher up, which decides the direction and speed of the flight
• The forecast for the next two hours, because the wind must stay calm until we land
• Visibility: the pilot must be able to see clearly to choose a landing field
• Equipment: burners, fuel, envelope and basket are checked before each flight
• Insurance: every flight we operate is insured

The final decision is made by the pilot on the field. If one of these is not right, the balloon stays on the ground. We don't fly because other companies are flying.

Weather cancellations

Some mornings, especially in winter and during windy spells, flying is not safe. When that happens:

• We tell you as early as we can, usually the evening before or at the launch field.
• You choose between a new date or a full refund.
• If we cancel at the field, we drive you back to your hotel.

Why balloons fly at sunrise

The air is calmest in the early morning. As the sun warms the ground, rising air and gusts make the wind less predictable. That's why every balloon flight in Marrakech takes off around sunrise and lands before mid-morning.

A full briefing, in person, before and during the flight

Our briefing is not a quick talk or a sheet of paper. Your pilot briefs you in person at our base, before the balloons are prepared, so there is plenty of time for questions. If you feel nervous about flying, this is the moment to talk to your pilot: most guests step into the basket calm and confident. Your pilot explains everything about the activity, in simple words:

• how a hot air balloon flies and how the pilot steers it with the wind
• how to climb in and out of the basket
• where to hold on, and what not to touch
• what you will see and feel in the air
• how to stand during the landing, practised before take-off
• to stay in the basket until the pilot says you can get out

The briefing continues during the flight. Your pilot tells you what is happening, answers your questions and reminds everyone of the landing position before touchdown.

Please tell us before the flight about any health condition, injury, pregnancy or reduced mobility, so the pilot can advise you properly.

What happens during the landing

Most landings are soft. But a balloon can't brake like a plane, so on some mornings the basket touches down, bounces a little, tips onto its side or slides a few metres before it stops. This is normal, and the briefing prepares you for it.

When the pilot calls "landing position":

1. Face the direction the balloon is travelling.
2. Bend your knees slightly and keep your back against the padded side of the basket.
3. Hold the rope handles inside the basket with both hands.
4. Keep your phone and camera put away until the basket has stopped.
5. Stay inside until the pilot tells you to get out.

Questions about safety