Hi folks, seeking some advice here on navigating change fees.

I've got an Economy Flex ticket with Saudia that comes with free change/reissue/revalidate and free refund, as stated here. I went ahead and changed my flights to an option that was cheaper than the one I originally booked. The difference wasn't refunded directly to my credit card as I've come to expect on many full-service US/EU airlines, but rather as an Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD). And to transfer the EMD into cash, Saudia is quoting a fee of 150 SAR.

Isn't the whole point of Economy Flex and the free changes and refunds that it offers in contravention with the EMD refund fee? Am I misunderstanding something about how these fares work, or is Saudia confused here?