S-Guy if you don't plan on flying the ship until death, don't get in it at all. I hate when people suicide in their ship in the middle of space, then the rest of your team can't really tell that you left because they move so slow on the minimap and a ship ends of getting wasted because of your cowardice. 

Safe covered the fighters deal pretty well, but another reason is that we don't want fighters littering our hangers, thats just recipe for disaster when a boarding party arrives and smacks into an unoccupied fighter where they were planning to land... Also leaving a fighter in an enemy hanger wastes it for your team, so your fighter pilots will be waiting longer to get into their craft.

"Munchkin: One who, on being told that this is a game about politics and intrigue in 17th century Italy, asks to play a ninja."
— Andrew Rilstone

Imo, you could have the fighter with an auto-despawn so if it gets left somewhere for a long time (meaning...1min or so) it will instantly destroy itself so it can respawn and quit taking up space.
I agree with your point on bailing though. If you just bail and end up dying simply to steal points, then you should get punished. Basically most of what im saying has to do with what could REALLY happen. A pilot could use a fighter as a personal transport. Lots of people do. My point is what COULD it be used for, not what is it generally used for. For instance, what about subtle missions when a troop transport would be too obvious, so you send in a single fighter so it won't be detected as easily? Not that this would truly happen in all-out war, but it's still a possibility to sneak up on someone if you must. (*saying this because usually thats how i fight. Fast/Silent*). ...erm...yeah i think thats all i can think of atm.

Curses, foiled again!

So much reading......