Without icons it is extreamly difficult to see aircraft at a distance in the game normally. Much worse then real life. Look at it this way. Is it also fair for some players to have higher resolution and bigger computer monitors to see planes a whole lot better in the distance or faster internet connections and much faster computers and video cards that make their planes perform a whole lot better and further then someone that can't afford these things?
Just my opinion. When I use to play Battlefied 1942 on a slower computer and with a slower internet connection I got my butt whipped regularly by people who could afford as good equiptment as computer companies made. Nothing fair about that either...