Iberia downgraded me to economy class on a flight to Madrid. Where’s my refund?

Illustration by Dustin Elliott

Iberia downgrades Christopher Long and his husband to economy class on a flight from Chicago to Madrid. Under European regulations, he’s entitled to a refund of 75 percent of his fare. So why is he only getting a fraction of that?

Question

My husband and I were downgraded from premium economy to economy on an Iberia flight from Chicago to Madrid. We booked with Avios miles and paid $543 in taxes.

Under EC 261, the European airline consumer protection regulation, we’re entitled to 75 percent of the ticket value as compensation. That’s roughly 29,452 Avios miles.

But Iberia only gave me 3,500 miles and ignored my husband’s claim, saying he lacked an Iberia Plus account. I filed multiple claims, cited EC 261, and even emailed executives using your contacts. No luck.

Did Iberia violate EC 261? How can we get the compensation we’re owed? — Christopher Long, Chicago

Answer

Getting an unexpected downgrade from premium economy to economy can be painful and frustrating. Spending eight hours in a tiny airline seat with almost no personal space is no way to start a vacation. And if you paid for a higher class of service, you deserve to get your money or your…