Originally Posted by
DaDaDan
...In the end, I think that the exemption is fair. Smaller aircraft are more susceptable to weight and balance problems, and it's not clear why the airlines should have to pay a penalty in that situation.
If the airline isn't sure they can fly a passenger, they have no business selling him or her a ticket in the first place.
IDB/VDB compensation is not a "penalty". Rather it compensates the customers for the inconvenience of not getting what they paid for in the first place. In cases like this, one hopes that there are enough volunteers with flexible travel plans so that pax with less flexibility and/or prepaids don't get the shaft.