Iberia Airlines - Refund Approved But Cant Pay

[aggitated]

Iberia Airlines - Refund Approved But Cant Pay. Lost luggage from Rome to Buenos Airies. Took them 3 weeks to find luggage despite having an airtag with pin point accuracy to find luggage. Once located was sent to Buenos Airies despite being told multiple times that we cannot accept delivery of the luggage as we had moved on throughout Argentina and Chile and couldn't be pinned for more than a day. They were told at least 3 times to send it home to Australia. This was finally done. Claim submitted, all procedures followed to the letter to obtain refund for additional clothing purchases etc. Good news, claim has been accepted. Um NO. They will only pay in US dollar. Ok, no problem. I provide details of an account within my Wise/Revolute with a US account jar. Not good enough. Must be an actual US bank account. They cannot refund to an Swift accounts. Um. WTH?????? What sort of company in todays day and age not able to refund into any currency in any account. Do they not deal with a global customer base?
My choices for refund are a US account or an EU account, both of which I don't have as I live in Australia.
I have threatened them with reporting them to the AESA but pretty sure I won't get far. Anyone with any suggestions. The dollar amount is less than $350 aud but its the principle that these Airlines continue to get away with underhanded behaviour.

 

[dajop]

With Wise can’t you just the ACH (routing) number and account number for USD transfer? No need for SWIFT code with ACH. Or for EUR transactions just the IBAN number? We did the latter for recent claims with Vueling.

 

[Mattg]

I'm also waiting for compensation from Iberia. They've technically agreed to pay it, but simply ignored my messages when I provided my Australian bank details.

FWIW, the only reason Iberia eventually agreed to pay was because I filed an actual complaint with the civil aviation authority in the country where I boarded the first Iberia flight of that journey. The mere threat of reporting the airline to AESA did nothing.

In your case, since your journey began in Italy, I think you would need to put in a complaint with the Italian civil aviation authority. (That's good news for you, as it's near impossible to file a complaint with AESA in Spain.)

 

[justinbrett]

I had a reimbursement (for hotels from misconnect) from AS for about US$450, the only choice for non-US bank accounts was a prepaid visa card (virtual).

A little annoying, but I will just use it next time I'm in the US as it's in USD.

 

[VPS]

Wise gives you a US bank account number so just persist and good luck

 

[aggitated]

With Wise can’t you just the ACH (routing) number and account number for USD transfer? No need for SWIFT code with ACH. Or for EUR transactions just the IBAN number? We did the latter for recent claims with Vueling.

Trying the EU route. Thanks. It wasn't offered the first time. They have since offered payment in EU now.

I'm also waiting for compensation from Iberia. They've technically agreed to pay it, but simply ignored my messages when I provided my Australian bank details.

FWIW, the only reason Iberia eventually agreed to pay was because I filed an actual complaint with the civil aviation authority in the country where I boarded the first Iberia flight of that journey. The mere threat of reporting the airline to AESA did nothing.

In your case, since your journey began in Italy, I think you would need to put in a complaint with the Italian civil aviation authority. (That's good news for you, as it's near impossible to file a complaint with AESA in Spain.)

Yes I suspect your correct. I looked up AESA and guess what I found. Their webpage doesn't work. haha, no surprises I guess really.

 

[aggitated]

I had a reimbursement (for hotels from misconnect) from AS for about US$450, the only choice for non-US bank accounts was a prepaid visa card (virtual).

A little annoying, but I will just use it next time I'm in the US as it's in USD.

This is interesting. I will be going back to Europe next year so maybe I can get this if all else fails. Thanks

 

[aggitated]

Wise gives you a US bank account number so just persist and good luck

They won't do it because it needs SWIFT to receive the funds. I am trying the Euro option instead as that option in Wise provides a local account option which means they should have no excuse to not pay me technically, but will be interesting to see how they try to wriggle out of paying it.

 

[dajop]

They won't do it because it needs SWIFT to receive the funds.

It's odd they offer it in the first place. Because I would have thought if they are transferring from within the US they don't need SWIFT (the Wise account is a US account), but if they are transferring from outside the US I would have thought any US account needs SWIFT.

Although who knows with the vagaries of the US banking system, it seems more complicated than the Australian one, hence the rise of apps like Venmo.

 

[VPS]

They won't do it because it needs SWIFT to receive the funds. I am trying the Euro option instead as that option in Wise provides a local account option which means they should have no excuse to not pay me technically, but will be interesting to see how they try to wriggle out of paying it.

I just checked my US Wise account and it has a Swift number

 

[justinbrett]

It's odd they offer it in the first place. Because I would have thought if they are transferring from within the US they don't need SWIFT (the Wise account is a US account), but if they are transferring from outside the US I would have thought any US account needs SWIFT.

Although who knows with the vagaries of the US banking system, it seems more complicated than the Australian one, hence the rise of apps like Venmo.

AS require a US issued debit card. They use the card number to credit the funds.

 

[markis10]

I just checked my US Wise account and it has a Swift number

It also has a routing number for wire and ach transfers

 

[dajop]

It also has a routing number for wire and ach transfers

Yes and I think these should suffice for intra-US transfer. I understand SWIFT number is only required for international transfers.

 

[VPS]

It also has a routing number for wire and ach transfers

yes but the OP needed a Swift and the Wise US account has a Swift number

 

[dajop]

yes but the OP needed a Swift and the Wise US account has a Swift number

I read it the other way around, that it could not be refunded via Swift.

If OP gave them the swift number (unnecessarily), that could cause agent to say "computer says no" . If OP just gave them the ACH and account numbers, it might well have been OK.

 

[markis10]

yes but the OP needed a Swift and the Wise US account has a Swift number

Op doesn’t need swift, the swift number was why they said no, and I was pointing out there are other options for international on the same account.