When you miss a connecting flight booked through Mytrip due to an airline’s circumstances,
you may worry about whether you can properly get a refund for your tickets.
Especially when you miss a connection between multiple airlines,
each airline will typically only guarantee their own tickets.
In this case, you can get a refund using Mytrip’s "Self-Connect Guarantee."
This article explains how to apply for this guarantee and get a refund.
Background
For reasons of cost or arrival time at your destination,
you might book flights that connect between multiple airlines.
In such cases, when transferring from Airline A to Airline B,
you’ll need to collect your baggage from Airline A yourself and check in with Airline B yourself.
This is what’s called a "self-connect" transfer.
When booking through Mytrip, it’s possible to arrange flight tickets that connect between multiple airlines.
If this self-connect goes smoothly, there’s no problem,
but if you happen to miss your connection (which is quite possible with LCCs),
the process to receive compensation becomes quite complicated.
Particularly with Mytrip, you can’t expect the same level of detailed Japanese-language support as you would from JTB.
I’m sure many of you reading this article are facing similar situations and concerns.
But don’t worry.
Based on my experience, I’ll explain what to do on the day of the missed connection and what to do later.
Summary
Here’s a quick outline of what you need to do:
-
On the day of the missed connection:
- Negotiate with the airline responsible for the missed connection about compensation
- Refund or arrangement of alternative tickets
- Share the current situation with Mytrip
- Explain that due to circumstances of the airline before the connection, later connections became impossible
-
What to do later:
- Receive compensation from the airline responsible for the missed connection
- Request a refund from Mytrip through the "Self-Connect Guarantee"
Premise
I’ll explain based on the situation I experienced.
For my return route from a European trip,
I had arranged the following flights:
Here’s an image to illustrate:
- Greece → Singapore (Scoot)
↓ Connection within the same airline
- Singapore → Malaysia (Scoot)
↓ Mytrip Self-Connect Guarantee
- Malaysia → Tokyo (Airasia)
Prioritizing getting home by Sunday, I chose this complicated route.
In this case, the transfer from 2 to 3 was a connection between different airlines.
However, flight 1 arrived late in Singapore,
and I couldn’t make the connection to flight 2 to Malaysia.
As a result, it was confirmed that I couldn’t board flight 3 to Tokyo.
At this point, I first requested Scoot to arrange alternative flights.
However, from Scoot’s perspective, the connection to flight 3 involved another company,
so it wasn’t their concern.
Therefore, Scoot offered either of these options:
- Arrange an alternative flight for flight 2
(but the next flight was 10 hours later…) - Refund the ticket for flight 2
(implying I should arrange my own ticket if I wanted a different route home)
For flight 3 from Malaysia to Tokyo (Airasia),
I needed to receive Mytrip’s "Self-Connect Guarantee,"
which required negotiation with Mytrip’s support.
- Note: If I had contacted Airasia, they would have said it wasn’t their problem
What is the Self-Connect Guarantee?
The "Self-Connect Guarantee" appears to be a service guaranteed by Mytrip as a travel agency.
link: https://jp.mytrip.com/rf/travel-conditions
Therefore, if you request the application of the "Self-Connect Guarantee" to Scoot or Airasia,
you won’t get a relevant answer.
The guarantee seems to apply in the following cases:
- If flights are rescheduled, delayed, or canceled by the respective airlines and you couldn’t board your flight to your destination
- If you missed your connecting flight due to baggage delays or losses beyond your reasonable control
- If you missed your connecting flight due to customs or immigration procedures beyond your reasonable control
In these cases, you can receive one of the following guarantees:
After we have been notified of the change, we will offer you one of the following options:
- a) An alternative flight to your final destination at our expense (you will be informed of the exact information of the flight we provide);
- b) A refund of the price you paid at the time of booking for the flights you did not board; or
- c) A flight at our expense to return you to your departure airport (you will be informed of the exact information of the flight we provide).
Additionally, depending on conditions, you may also be eligible for the following additional guarantees:
The Connection Guarantee entitles you to:
Accommodation:
– If the change occurs suddenly and we cannot arrange accommodation for that night (22:00-08:00), we will pay for one or more nights of accommodation. Compensation is limited to a total of 100 USD per passenger covered by the Connection Guarantee. Compensation for accommodation received from the airline will be deducted from the Connection Guarantee refund.
Meals and (non-alcoholic) drinks
– If a change delays your flight by more than 4 hours, the cost of meals and non-alcoholic drinks will be covered up to a total of 12 USD per passenger covered by the Self-Connect Guarantee. Compensation for meals and drinks received from the airline will be deducted from the Connection Guarantee refund.Please note that you need to bear these costs and provide us with receipts for the expenses you have paid.
Process from Missing the Connection to Getting a Refund
Now, I’ll explain what to do at the airport on the day of the confirmed missed connection,
and what to do in the days that follow.
There are tips for smooth communication with Mytrip support, so please check them.
1. What to Do at the Airport on the Day of the Missed Connection
1-1. Negotiate Compensation with the Airline Responsible for the Missed Connection
First, negotiate with the airline responsible for the missed connection.
To request the "Connection Guarantee" from Mytrip, you need to
"prove that you missed your subsequent connection for some reason."
Therefore, you’ll need to request one of the following from the airline:
- A refund for the flight ticket you couldn’t board
- Arrangement of a ticket for the same route but at a different time than the flight you couldn’t board
In my case, "receiving a refund for the Scoot flight I had booked"
served as proof of the missed connection.
The refund application process will vary by airline.
In Scoot’s case:
- Apply for a refund/provide contact information at the Scoot counter on the day of the missed connection
- Later, you’ll receive an email from Scoot, follow the instructions
- Receive the refund (if you booked the ticket through Mytrip, the refund will first go to Mytrip, then you’ll receive it via Mytrip)
1-2. Contact Mytrip Support to Inform Them of the Missed Connection
Referring to Mytrip’s Connection Guarantee terms, it states:
link: https://jp.mytrip.com/rf/travel-conditions
If you wish to use the Self-Connect Guarantee, you must notify us without undue delay after the change. Please see here for contact information.
You can contact Mytrip support through the following link:
https://jp.mytrip.com/rf/contact-us
However, this link might be confusing, so
I recommend contacting chat support from your Mytrip account page.
When communicating with chat support, keep the following in mind:
- Chat support uses machine translation to communicate in Japanese
- This means simple communication is possible, but misunderstandings can easily occur if you use technical terms or if there are variations in how technical terms are written
- The first chat support representative you connect with is just a front-line representative
- They may not know about the "Self-Connect Guarantee." You’ll need to be connected to a different department
With this in mind,
connect to chat support, share the necessary information, and then
convey the following:
- "I want to receive the Self-Connect Guarantee"
Also share the official document you’re referencing: https://jp.mytrip.com/rf/travel-conditions - "Please connect me to the department in charge of the Self-Connect Guarantee"
Once you’ve done this and been connected to the specialized department,
share your current situation.
At this point, confirm the following two points:
- Confirmation that your current situation is covered by the "Self-Connect Guarantee"
- Information and procedures necessary to receive the guarantee
I struggled with communication with the front-line representative
because I didn’t know these tips.
I was told, "For refunds from Airasia, please check with Airasia."
Even when I mentioned "Self-Connect Guarantee," they didn’t handle it.
Only after sharing the official document I was referencing was I finally connected to the relevant department.
2. What to Do Later
2-1. Receive Compensation from the Airline Responsible for the Missed Connection
If you booked all tickets through Mytrip and are getting a refund,
you’ll likely receive compensation through the route: Airline → Mytrip → You.
The follow-up after a missed connection will vary by airline.
Be sure to check with the airline at the airport on the day of the incident.
Once you’ve received this compensation,
it can serve as "proof of the missed connection," allowing you to apply for Mytrip’s guarantee.
2-2. Contact Mytrip Chat Support and Request a Refund
Contact Mytrip chat support in the same manner as on the day of the incident.
Similarly, convey the following to be connected to the relevant department:
- "I want to receive the Self-Connect Guarantee"
Also share the official document you’re referencing: https://jp.mytrip.com/rf/travel-conditions - "Please connect me to the department in charge of the Self-Connect Guarantee"
After that, simply answer the chat support’s questions to complete the refund application.
That’s it for the procedure.
Good job!
Summary
In this article, I explained the process of receiving the "Self-Connect Guarantee" from Mytrip.
I tried to compile the information I wish I had known on the day of the trouble.
I hope this helps anyone facing the same issue.
If you’re struggling in real-time, feel free to send me a DM on my X account,
and I’ll try to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out.
Upon reflecting on this experience, I’ve come to realize
that affordability and comprehensive support are in a trade-off relationship.
I used LCCs this time, but delays come with the territory of lower prices.
You can’t expect much from after-service support either.
Even if you receive a refund, you’ll sacrifice either "time" or "cost,"
and honestly, it’s not worth it.
Specifically, even if they arrange an alternative ticket for a different time,
your planned schedule will inevitably be delayed by about a day,
and there’s no compensation for that.
If they refund your ticket and you arrange a new ticket yourself on the spot,
same-day flight tickets are very expensive (compared to booking n weeks in advance),
and even after offsetting the refund amount, you’ll still end up with a big loss.
There’s no compensation that considers this price difference either.
Considering such trade-offs,
it might be better to rely on a variety of airlines for a happier experience.
Thank you for reading this far.
I’ve summarized my actual travel itinerary below.
Please take a look at this as well.
https://gonkunblog.com/goto-europe-france-italy-greece/2177/#rtoc-15
