Receiving EU261 funds, how?
 

Just wondering how non-European citizens have received their EU 261 funds for canceled or delayed flights in the EU. I naively thought I could just get funds posted to my credit card. Looks like (at least with SAS) it has to be by bank transfer, and none of my 3 US bank accounts nor my PayPal account have the required SWIFT number to execute an international bank transfer. Do I need to set something up with an outside vendor? Am I missing something (other than the fact that I don't have a Bank of America, Citibank, Chase, US Bank, or Wells Fargo account)? Or should I just take the 25,000 SAS points instead of money, points on an airline I will likely never fly again?

Would Western Union work?

You might do a search and/or post on the SAS forum on Flyer Talk. I read a lot about EU261 or EC261 on the BA forum there and I'm sure you'll find someone on the relevant airline forum who can advise you in your situation. I personally would want to avoid points unless it was something I could use. The members on that forum probably have a good idea about the equivalent ratio of points to currency and what would be fair.

All the best to you.

Have you asked your three banks and they all say you can’t accept in international wire? Maybe they have a service that does transfers if they don’t have a SWIFT code.

You have 3 banks that don't have SWIFT codes and can't handle international wire transfers? That seems incredibly odd. Can you open up a bank account that does have one and use it for just this purpose and maybe others down the line?

I have 3 banks and 2 credit unions and 4 of the 5 have SWIFT/int'l bank transfer capability. Do you just bank with small local banks?

Does SAS allow one to use miles for other than flights? Hotels, shopping, whatever?

I asked 2 banks (it’s a Saturday) and they both said they accept international transfers but a swift code is not required. I can’t submit the SAS form leaving the swift code blank.

Online searches do turn up swift codes for these banks on questionable sites but the phone people at the banks say that they are not real (?) so don’t use them.

Maybe call SAS for guidance.

yes, SAS points can be used on United.

I’d talk to a manager at one of those banks. Or call the third one.

Try looking for the BIC for your banks. This is more usual now though still often called SWIFT. If several sites offering BIC/SWIFT codes come up with the same one for your bank assume it is correct.
Have a look at https://supportcentre.natwest.com/ol...IC-numbers.htm from NatWest bank in the UK and see if they come up with your code.

>>I asked 2 banks (it’s a Saturday) <<

Did you ask a manger or personal banker? Or a teller/Customer service rep? Typical banking CS staff don't always know much about international transfers/exchange/etc.

Good idea to ask up, I had just called.

Faced a similar issue recently trying to get housing deposit back from a university, ended up using the Norwegian bank account of a family friend who just handed me the bills. SAS website says money must go to account with the same surname, however, so that trick won’t work.

Canceled flights aren't EU261 . That's just a normal refund. EU261 would be the compensation for a delayed flight. This is money over and above the ticket cost. If they canceled your flight did they refund that money?

Try asking your bank for a routing number. They may not know the term Swift/BIC but they might understanding routing.

Cancellations are within the scope of Regulation 261/2004 as well as delays and denied boarding.

Whether or not you're elegible for cash compensation on top of the obvious refunds depends on certain criteria like duration of prior notice, alternative routing/transportation to destination etc.
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...s/index_en.htm

Cancellations happen even if you don't qualify for compensation. The airline must have a way to refund that money.

Nick: it’s not a refund, it’s punitive damages. Yes could have accepted a refund back on the card but really needed to be there and they had a 3 hop reroute.

I know there’s comp because I made it thru the screens. It’s 400 euros if flight canceled under their control (a flight canceled 30 hours in advance is) and then reduced to 200 euros if delayed arrival less than 3 hours, unfortunately delayed 2:53 so get reduced amount but the ticket was 200 euros so not complaining.

What was confusing to me is that there is automatic compensation for a canceled flight even if they get you there.

Yes, there is online discussion about the routing number working for the Swift number but the SAS form asks for both Swift and routing numbers. Also there’s online discussion that only the biggest US banks have Swift numbers and the other banks use them as intermediaries for a small fee.

Others online recommend setting up an account at the British vendor Transferwise, and it says they will transfer the money for 50 pence (my everyday checking bank says $15 charged to receive wired money, even if in dollars). Transferwise says they have a pot of money in most currencies, then instead of wiring the money conventionally they reassign it, say 200 euros in their euro bank is matched to $230 in their US bank, then the funds can be transferred for free to another US bank from there.

My point was that if they can refund you the cancelled flight they should be able to handle the rest in the same way. It sounds like they're intentionally setting up roadblocks.

I also meant to ask your bank about the routing number. It might just be the different name will jog somebodies memory.

It costs them something, about 1.5%, to put funds on a card. I would pay that myself for the convenience (as I would have for the housing deposit) but that option isn’t offered.

Dio you not have an IBAN (International Bank Account Number)? I have only used them on a few occasions myself, but they do seem commonplace for those transferring money between countries.

Details are here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intern...Account_Number

Third bank was the charm, CapitalOne 360. Quickly provided Swift code and stated that there would be no charge to receive US dollars, which is an option on the SAS form.

Thanks for the update. Great news for you!