iFLY Basingstoke Indoor Skydiving — Attraction in Basingstoke and Deane

We've been to iFly in Basingstoke 5 times now. On the 4th visit 18 months ago we vowed NEVER to go back again. The instructor was horrid with ZERO patience and threw my son out of the wind chamber as HE lost his footing, refusing to take him up on a high flight as he was deemed too 'dangerous'. (Despite doing it 3 times before with no problem) I filmed the whole thing. My son did not move a muscle. That instructor also only took other flyers up half way. Lack of experience maybe??

Anyway, when my son was bought a voucher for Christmas from a friend. We reluctantly booked in again.

We travelled from Swindon to Basingstoke, in plenty of time, or so we thought. Roadworks and traffic caused us to be just 8 minutes late (you have to arrive 45 minutes before your flight time for the briefing - we knew this didn't take the full 45 minutes. We'd been here before!). The foreign lady on the reception desk refused us entry, telling us the briefing had already started and we'd missed our slot. We either come back for the 5pm flight, or we pay another £45 to move to another date. I explained we were just 8 minutes late, and the flight wasn't for another 35 minutes or so. She refused to go up and check, she called up and stuck to her decision. So we reluctantly went away to come for 4:15 ready for the 5pm flight.

Imagine our delight when we did return, to find the briefing was running 5 minutes late, and at 4:20 my son and his friend were called straight through to the dressing area with us to be briefed. They were the only 2 for the 5pm flight - or so we thought. At 4.33pm another 5 people turned up for their same flight. There was plenty of time to dress them and get them ready.

My son had a voucher for 4 flights, photos, a high fly and a VR flight. His friend he went with just booked 4 standard flights.

Once finished we went to see the photos on the screens downstairs... Only my son, had his friends name with NO free photos, and his friend has his name with my sons free photos. (My son wore a blue suit, his friend was in red)

I then asked to speak with a manager. Paul came out and, to be honest - listened and checked the system and told me that the 1:30 flight was all dressed and ready to go by 1:18pm... We had already been told to leave by that time, we got there at 12:55 at the latest, and it then took ages for her to find us another slot. He apologised for the inconvenience and said that he would have done the opposite of what his colleague had done. And also promised to send me the link to my sons photos free of charge. We explained the names had been switched around. He sent the first email with my Sons friends photos, then after replying to him to point this out again, I received a 2nd email with my sons photos on. He told me to forget what had happened earlier that day, and instead focus on him 'sorting' the problem at that moment when I am asked for feedback on our visit when I get the email.

We ended up staying in Basingstoke from 1pm, Spending our time in McDonalds and Costa (not knowing the area). Also not wanting to travel too far from the IFly centre, as the receptionist had promised to call if they had a no show at one of the earlier flights. We finally got home at 7pm for less than a 1 hour flight?! It was a total waste of our day, all because the receptionist refused to take into account roadworks, and wouldn't go upstairs personally to check on the progress of our original 1:30 flight.

The ONLY saving grace in our entire day was that the boys had Will as their instructor. Will is incredible and after my Sons last encounter with the instructor, it was refreshing to see my son quite confident once again. And moving with ease in the chamber.

Thank you Will. You were amazing. It's just a shame that your receptionist let you down. It is for that reason I will NOT be bringing my Son back to ifly for a 6th time. (This 1 star is for you Will!!)

The management may have changed a year ago, and some improvements have been made, certainly since we last visited - however there is still room...

I am more than happy to provide you with assistance in writing positive feedback about iFly Skydiving Basingstoke. Below is a draft that you can further personalize or modify to suit your needs:

I recently had the incredible opportunity to experience the thrill of iFly Skydiving in Basingstoke, and I cannot express how impressed I was with the entire experience. From the moment I walked through the doors, I was greeted by a team of friendly and professional staff who made me feel at ease and excited for what was to come.

The facilities at iFly Skydiving Basingstoke are top-notch. The wind tunnel is state-of-the-art, providing a safe and exhilarating environment for anyone looking to try indoor skydiving. The staff members were extremely knowledgeable and took the time to explain the safety procedures and techniques thoroughly. Their expertise and attention to detail truly reassured me, especially as a first-time participant.

What sets iFly Skydiving Basingstoke apart is the dedication and passion exhibited by the instructors. I had the privilege of working with an instructor named Jake, who was absolutely fantastic. His energy and enthusiasm were infectious, and he made the entire experience even more enjoyable. He was patient, motivating, and provided clear instructions to ensure I got the most out of my flight. Thanks to Jake and the other instructors, I felt like I was in good hands throughout the entire session.

The sensation of flying in the wind tunnel was surreal. It was an adrenaline rush like no other, and I felt a sense of freedom and empowerment as I soared through the air. The iFly Skydiving Basingstoke team made sure that I felt comfortable every step of the way, making it an experience I will never forget.

Even after my session was over, the positive impression of iFly Skydiving Basingstoke continued. The facilities were clean, well-maintained, and had a welcoming atmosphere. The staff genuinely cared about the well-being and satisfaction of their guests, making the overall experience incredibly positive.

In conclusion, I highly recommend iFly Skydiving Basingstoke to anyone seeking an adventure-filled, thrilling experience. The exceptional staff, outstanding facilities, and unforgettable sensation of indoor skydiving make it an activity that should not be missed. Whether you are a seasoned skydiver or someone looking to try something new, iFly Skydiving Basingstoke is the...

We had been bought a voucher for 2 people to fly including digital photos, and we managed to redeem the flight today. Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves, and it was a really fun and unique experience. We were looked after by Jess who was very professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. We felt in very safe hands.

Our total flight time was 4 minutes long per person, split over 2 flights, at 2 minutes each. We were first time fliers, but it was not clear anywhere on the voucher or the website how long we would actually be flying for, so we were a little shocked when we were told how long it would be. It was a very short experience, and we had to wait around for quite a bit of time. We were expecting to spend the whole afternoon here flying, but that was definitely not the case. Nevertheless, we did enjoy our time, and it was fun flying about for a grand total of a few minutes in the tunnel.

Our only real disappointment for the experience were the upsells, and the fact the voucher we had received was an “experience for two” including digital photos, but it only included 1 photo, for one person. So you are effectively forced to buy a photo of the other person for a whopping £10 if you both want an equal experience. We queried this with reception as we thought this was a genuine mistake, but they reassured us that we did in fact have to pay for the 2nd person’s photo, despite the voucher saying it was for two.

While we were in the tunnel, we were offered to “fly high” for an extra £15 per person, which we opted in to. It lasted about 10 seconds (could be wrong), and you very briefly go up to the top of the tunnel and down again, repeated twice. From our perspective, it wasn’t really worth it. But, you have to be the judge for yourself as people get different variations of adrenaline buzz. You may find it really thrilling, but we didn’t, and that’s just our opinion.

Had we not experienced upsells for extras (for a very short experience in the first place) we’d have given this 5 stars. Especially because a decent amount of money was already spent sending us for the fight in the first place. Our experience with the single photo for a joint experience was also a bit laughable. Nevertheless, we’d be back again if we had deeper pockets. Thank you for a unique experience.

P.S: There are no food/drink options available in the skydive center itself, but it located near plenty of other options....