About us
A platform built by someone from the industry
We're not another tech startup that discovered balloons in a stock photo. We're part of this community — and that's exactly why we knew what needed to change.
Where it all began
For 12 years I was part of a balloon crew — pre-dawn mornings, spreading the envelope on wet grass, the burner heating the air before passengers had a chance to finish their coffee. I saw this world from the inside: pilots, ground crews, balloon owners who treat their equipment like treasure.
At the same time I saw passengers who spent hours searching the internet, called dozens of numbers and were never sure if the price was final, if the flight would really happen, if the company could be trusted. Booking a balloon flight in Poland was like buying a car from a classified ad — lots of uncertainty, few guarantees.
On the operator side it was no better. Spreadsheets, text messages asking about available seats, manual invoicing, phone calls on the day of the flight. A dozen crews I worked with were wasting hours every week on administration, instead of doing what they love — flying.
One morning, after landing somewhere in a field near Kraków, I thought: someone should fix this. Then it hit me that that someone could be me.
“Booking a balloon flight should be as simple as booking a hotel. Safe, transparent, no cold calls. I'm building what I was looking for as a passenger.”
What changes
For passengers
Confidence from the first click
- Verified operators with up-to-date documents and insurance
- Prices visible upfront — no phone calls or negotiations
- Three-stage weather monitoring before every flight
- Booking in 2 minutes, no account needed
- SMS and email confirmation immediately after payment
For operators
Less administration, more flying
- No more manual passenger list and payment management
- Automatic reminders and 24h checkpoint before the flight
- Reputation system building trust with new passengers
- Reach passengers who are searching but don't know your crew yet
- Fair commission — only on completed bookings
Polish balloons — more than just a sport
Ballooning in Poland is a unique subculture. Early mornings before sunrise, hours waiting for the right weather window, the rhythm of spreading the envelope — every crew has its traditions, its jokes, its ways of making coffee. It's not work for someone looking for easy money.
Pilots and ground crews do it out of passion. Most of them have known each other for years, travel to competitions together, help each other with equipment and advice. This community is small but incredibly tight-knit. That's exactly why it matters to me that the platform serves it — rather than reducing balloons to just another tourist attraction in an ad brochure.
Behind every flight are many hours of preparation, decades of experience and enormous responsibility for the people in the basket. Book a Balloon was created so this craft is visible — and so passengers find the crews who really know what they're doing.
Maciej Szymczuk
Founder · Balloon crew member since 2013
For over a decade he worked as a ground crew member for more than a dozen balloon operators across Poland — from the Mazurian Lakes to the Tatras. He participated in hundreds of flights as part of the crew: spreading envelopes, operating burners, chasing the balloon after landing. He saw how this industry works from the inside — with all its passion and all its operational challenges. He built Book a Balloon because he wanted this passion to be accessible to everyone who wants to fly — and so operators could focus on flying rather than Excel.
Our values
Transparency
Prices visible upfront, operators verified, terms clear before you click "Book".
Safety
Operator documents checked by the platform, rating system, three-stage weather monitoring.
Passion
Built by balloon enthusiasts, not a corporation. Because we believe good technology serves people.
Ready to fly?
Browse verified balloon flights across Poland or join the platform as an operator.