Originally Posted by
CPMaverick
You obviously don't know what IDB is.
IDB is 'involuntary'. As soon as you sign the voucher, you are agreeing to volunteer your seat, in exchange for the voucher. At that point, you are a VDB, not IDB.
What you saw is agents converting IDBs into VDBs. This is something that seems unethical to me, but if the agents tell them to sign and they agree, they become volunteers (and they usually do, because they do not know their rights).
Now, if an agent says, 'we can offer you this in exchange for your seat' and they accept, it's fine. But I have seen them just thrust the VDB voucher in front of people and tell them they have to sign it. Not acceptable and honestly, I consider it illegal.
This is not entirely accurate. Compensation and whether they are IDB or VDB do not need to align.
Many IDBs select the voucher compensation since it can be more generous. That doesn't change the fact that they are IDBs and they are still supposed to be marked as IDB since they did not request to volunteer or respond to a solicitation for volunteers.
This reference may be a bit dated, but you'll notice that even if VDB comp is issued, it is to be reported as IDB:
Code:
---- OVERSALES ----
IDB UP TO 1 HOUR $100 TRAVEL CREDIT REPORT AS IDB
IDB MORE THAN 1 HOUR CASH OR VDB COMP REPORT AS IDB
CASH COMPENSATION:
BETWEEN 1 AND 2 HOUR OW FARE ON IDB SEGMENT...MAX $400
MORE THAN 2 HOURS 2X OW FARE ON IDB SEGMENT..MAX $800