Frequently asked questions and answers

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Frequently Asked Questions

Various sections for our Questions & Answers: 1. Frequently Asked Questions (General) 2. Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to flight tickets 3. Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to airport transfers 4. Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to reservation of tours 5. Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to reservation of accommodations 6. Reservation flow chart
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Making a reservation

How do I purchase my ticket?
You can either call, fax or use our online ticket reservation form to file a booking. We do also welcome your inquiries by email.

Do I need a credit card to reserve a ticket?
A credit card is not necessary to reserve a ticket. However, in the event that your travel is immediate (departing in less than 15 days), the credit card will act as a security deposit so that we can secure the seat while we wait for your payment through bank remittance.

Can I request for my favourite(window) seat at booking?
It is only available for Full Fare Ticket and may not be available to most discounted tickets. When seat request at booking is not possible, request can only be made directly at check-in on the day of departure.　

Do I pay a booking fee when I make a reservation?
No, we do not charge you any booking fees when you make reservations with us.　

Can I use my credit card to make a reservation for someone else?
Yes. However, you are required to complete and sign a document verifying the details of the reservation. The signed document can be returned to us by fax or using email attachment. Please note that the cardholder's handwritten signature is required. This security procedure is in place to protect both our customers and our company against credit card fraud.　

Why do I need to settle payment immediately when I am traveling in 10 days time?
Full payment must be collected 2 weeks (in some cases 3 weeks) before your departure date as tickets are finalised by this time. This is when our suppliers will seek payment from us so that tickets can be issued at a comfortable pace and not kept till the last minute. This also explains why other agents charge extra for last minute booking as it has a tendency to disrupt workflow.

How do I cancel my booking?
We ask that you notify us by phone, fax or email if you have decided not to purchase your ticket so that the seat(s) will be released. There is no cancellation fee when the cancellation is received 20 days or more before the departure.　

How long can I keep the seat while I consider to purchase my travel?
There is no specific timeframe. Generally we allow a week or two when the departure date is more than 4 weeks away. However, when the departure date is 20 days or lesser, we will not be able to keep any tentative bookings. All bookings with full payment or deposit not paid by the 20th day before departure will be automatically dropped.　

Booking and payment guidelines for domestic tickets

Days before your departure	Temporary booking	Payment & Deposit	Cancellation & Penalty
21 days or more	tentative booking OK	no deposit required	no cancellation fee
less than 20 days	not allowed	deposit is required	20% penalty for cancellation
less than 14 days	not allowed	full payment is required	30%-50% penalty for cancellation

Reservation is finalised with payment made

How do I get my tickets?
Eticket will be used whenever possible. However when it is not available because a printed ticket or a voucher is used, the ticket/voucher can be sent to a mailing address within Japan(costs 500yen) or an overseas address(usually costs around 1000yen-1500yen) or be placed at the airport collection counter for your collection on the departure day(500yen per ticket). Ticket collection at airport is only available for certain tickets only.

How do I cancel my ticket?
Cancellations should be made by phone whenever possible as delays could sometimes result in higher cancellation fee. Cancellations made on a weekend or holiday can only be processed on the next working day. Cancellation fee may or may not apply depending on the amount of notice given and varies according to types of tickets, tours purchased.

Can I change the date or time of my flight?
Any changes made to a reservation with 20 days or less before the departure day will incur a penalty. Scroll further to see the next question for the procedure.　

How can I change reservation?
A new reservation will have to be made while we cancel the earlier reservation. Only when seat availability for the new reservation is ascertain, we will cancel the earlier reservation. You will need to pay the difference for the new reservation after calculating the cancellation penalty.　

Miscellaneous

My flight is cancelled due bad weather(typhoon)?
The ticket you have purchased may or may not allow you to board a different flight or carrier. Please check with the airline ground staff for advise and alternatives. Also check to see your travel insurance you have purchased from your home country would allow compensation for your travel so that you can purchase the next immediate flight out. As we are merely a ticketing agent, there is nothing else we can do except to process your ticket for a refund. In this case, it is important that you receive a Flight Cancellation Advise Slip from the airline counter in order to qualify for refund. Please send us the original copy together with your unused ticket(if issued a printed ticket or a voucher) within the next 2 weeks. Refunds take about a month for processing with the money refunded to you using bank transfer.

I have overslept and I missed my flight.
Check with the airline, make up a story and hope they will buy it. Chances are the ticket is wasted and you will have to purchase a new ticket. Because the airline will issue a No Show status for this, your ticket is now worthless.

What is the recommended check-in time for domestic flights in Japan?
There is no immigration formality when traveling domestically as such arriving at the airport 45 minutes before the departure will allow you to check-in, clear security check and board the plane at a comfortable pace. The latest time allowed for check-in is 15 minutes before the flight provided you have no check-in baggage only to go straight to the plane with your ticket.

Can I travel with my pet dog?
Yes.

Traveling with musical instrument as carry-on or oversized lugguage.
See procedures.

Miscellaneous - Hotel

Eligibility of child rate for ryokans and certain hotels.
There are cases where child rate is offered only when accompanied with 2 adult paying guests.
e.g. An adult with two accompanying children need to pay;
Total charge = Adult room rate x 2 + Child room rate x 1

Supplementary occupancy charge for child age 3-5 and infant age 2-3 for use of its facilities.
Individual hotel/ryokan may impose a supplementary occupancy charge for each infant/child age 1-5, payable at check-in. Please double check directly with the property.