Originally Posted by
Kevin AA
Never overbooking would not have made any difference here (not to mention driving fares up as a result). Making airlines reserve 4 seats for crewmembers on every flight would drive fares even higher. The solution is to offer enough VDB to get the volunteers you need.
Originally Posted by
GadgetFreak
The problem is the existence of IDBs. Airlines should be required to VDB seats as needed except in very specific and unusual instances.
There is always the possibility that no one will take the VDB offer. There will always be the possibility for unusual circumstances (this case). That is why DOT allows for IDB. Not allowing crews to get where they need to go would cause delays and cancellations affecting hundreds of people. Not capping the VDB offers would just allow people the abuse the system. Both cases driving up fares. They could just fly all the planes at 50% capacity from now on and double all the fares. That would alleviate the situation but then people will complain about fares.
The IDB system now is fine. If the system changes at all, it still will not make any difference. All this assumes people behave rationally. It wont stop a DYKWIA from decided it is more important for him to cause a scene and potentially delay hundred of people than follow a written procedure that have existed for years.