The Wall Street Journal has run a front-page story detailing the dangers of flying commuter airlines. Such smaller carriers often do contract flying for the big full-fare airlines -- though you might not know it looking at your ticket.

Most full-fare airlines focus on international flights because they can't compete with the discount airlines for domestic travel. So the full fares -- United, Continetal, US Air, American and Delta -- typically contract their domestic flights out to commuter airlines. In fact, half of all U.S. flights are flown contract.

The Wall Street Journal reports that some contract carriers employ inexperienced pilots. There are also accusations that the Buffalo, N.Y. crash was a result of poor pilot training. Finally, there's a suggestion of an increased possibility of being in a crash when flying a commuter airline versus flying with the full-fare airline itself.

How can you know if you're flying a contract carrier? Your ticketing will say "flight operated by so-and-so" along with the name or logo of the full-fare airline you think you're flying.

Having said all that, you are still much safer in the air than you are driving an equivalent distance in your own car -- even taking into account the possible dangers of flying with a contract carrier.

Clark wants to see more transparency when it comes to airline ticketing. There should be no more use of code sharing. Ticketing should go back to joint fares.

In plain English, that means if a full-fare airline like Delta, for example, wants to contract with a commuter airline, your ticket would then say the name of the contract carrier and not have a fake Delta flight number. Ditto for United, Continetal, US Air and American.

Mind you, Clark is not an engineer or a safety expert. He's only citing evidence from The Wall Street Journal. But this is not a problem that can be solved by the free market. We need real enforcement here. What good does it do when you're injured or dead to say, "Oh, I shouldn't have flown that commuter flight?"

Checking into a hotel? Don't let the bed bugs bite. The Orlando Sentinel reports there's an invasion of the pesky little critters at an unknown number of Florida hotels.

Worse yet, the newspaper reports the state of Florida initially did little to address the problem. There was an insane policy where state employees were forbidden from entering a hotel room believed to have bed bugs. Yet in order to write a citation, an inspector needed to physically see evidence of the bed bugs. Who comes up with this stuff?!

Thanks to continuing scrutiny, the state is now going into hotel rooms and has even outfitted its employees with hazmat gear for the job! Affected rooms are not supposed to be rented again until the state can verify the problem has been solved.

Do you think you've been exposed to bed bugs? Check with the CDC to learn about the best ways to prevent them from returning home on your clothing.

Clark's solution? Well, his clothes are so cheap that he'd get rid of every scrap of clothing on his body and buy a new outfit before returning home!

The cruise lines have done an about-face and are now supporting proposed federal legislation that would compel their $38 billion industry to be more diligent in reporting crimes on their vessels.

According to The Los Angeles Times, shipboard crime reporting would be mandatory and all cabins would be outfitted with peepholes and security latches for occupant safety under the pending legislation. In addition, the cruise lines would have to make sure on-board medical personnel are trained to deal with sexual assaults.

For too long, the industry used its powerful lobby in Washington to block any such regulations. Clark isn't exactly sure why the cruise lines have had a change of heart now. Perhaps it's because they knew they were winning the battle in Washington, but losing the war in the public eye whenever a high-profile crime on the high seas became fodder for the tabloids.

The consumer champ himself distinctly recalls being on a cruise once when a crew member entered his room late at night. The man ran out of the cabin and disappeared after Clark abruptly awoke from his sleep.

These proposed regulations are so long overdue. In fact, the whole issue also speaks to a problem in Washington. For as long as the cruise industry was opposed, the politicians made sure that nothing happened. D.C. has for too long had a business model where whoever gives money to the politicians wins.

In spite of the problems, Clark wants to reiterate that going on a cruise is an overwhelmingly safe thing to do. Of course, anytime the ships themselves try to cover things up, they're creating suspicion.

Trip insurance policies should always be purchased when you are taking a cruise, a tour or traveling on a trip that requires pre-payment of thousands of dollars.

Such policies are designed to protect consumers by giving them refunds in the event of illness to the traveler or an immediate family member. They also provide a refund in the case of company, tour operator or airline default.

Consumers should always purchase a policy independent of the cruise, tour or vacation planner. Never purchase the trip protection plan from the trip organizer. Those types of policies are designed to protect only the company and not the consumer!

InsureMyTrip.com allows you to comparison shop for policies online.

The next time you go on vacation, you may want to think twice about posting pictures on Facebook or using Twitter to let people know you're away from home.

Syndicated financial columnist Kathleen Pender recently wrote a story that spotlighted the growing danger of crooks using social networking sites to help them plan their next burglary.

Clark himself caught some heat from his staff when he used Twitter a few weeks ago to let people know he was flying across the country. Any enterprising thief could have used his Tweets as an invitation to break into his home. Fortunately, nothing happened.

But you can bet that Clark will not be Tweeting his location anytime soon!

Speaking of traveling, the TSA's new Secure Flight program will be ramping up later this summer. You can expect airlines to begin asking for full name, gender and date of birth when you book a ticket.

The New York Times quotes Secure Flight's director as saying, "If your name is Jonathan Smith and you travel as John Smith and your license says Johnny Smith -- get all those things aligned."

With summer vacation season under way, Clark wants to brief you on new passport rules that could create some snafus for unsuspecting travelers.

You'll now need a traditional passport or the new passport card to travel -- even if you're only going to Canada or Mexico by car, rail or airplane.

The feds are so worried about the lack of info concerning the new rules that they've already announced they will permit readmission for confused U.S. citizens. But you can expect to be detained for an undetermined period of time if you don't have your passport identification.

So should you get the newfangled passport card or the traditional passport? Clark recommends the latter. More details about both options are available at State.gov.

Meanwhile, many states are experimenting with new facial recognition software for ID pictures. However, the software apparently can't analyze a picture of someone smiling. Virginia, therefore, is the latest state to make it illegal for you to smile when you have your driver's license photo taken, according to The Washington Post.

But you are allowed to crease your lips upward -- as long as there's no evidence of any teeth showing!

Swine flu fear got the best of Carnival Cruise Lines when they decided to skip ports of call in Mexico and then refused to compensate disappointed customers, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Normally, cruise companies reserve the right to change the itinerary at will. They can usually skip stops or change ports without much fanfare. But Carnival was in a unique position because of their much-publicized vacation guarantee that basically offers a money-back guarantee if you're displeased with your vacation for any reason.

The question is, should Carnival be allowed to make an over-the-top guarantee and then decide it doesn't apply because of the enormous fear surrounding swine flu?

Clark thinks Carnival is just plain wrong here. If you are going to hold yourself out as offering better consumer protection than the rest of the industry, you have to make good on it.

Carnival may have gotten some short-term benefit because they didn't have to pay out, but think about the long-term disaster in breaking trust with their customers.

You know this will end up in court, the lawyers will get rich, Carnival will look even worse and the customers will get some level of compensation.

So why not do it right from the start and avoid all that hassle?

Clark is perhaps the last American who still loves going to an airport and flying. Right now, the penny-pincher wants to share some tips if you're planning to travel by air this holiday season.

Come Thanksgiving, we should have family-only lanes at many of the nation's airports. This is part of a new system in place with self-selection lanes at security. This system borrows from the ski system to mark beginner, intermediate and advanced trails.

The green lane is for beginning travelers who may not know the drill at security and for slow-moving families with children; the blue lane is for intermediate-level travelers who have some familiarity with the security process; and the black diamond lane is for veteran travelers who could go through security with their eyes closed.

If you only travel once a year during the holidays, a lot has changed since last year. All the nation's airlines -- except Southwest -- have become feeing monsters. You'll generally pay $15 to check a first bag and $25 to check a second bag. There are also fees if you want an exit-row seat; if you want to stand-by on an earlier flight; or if you want to cancel a ticket.

However, the good news is that demand for air travel is down. That means airports should be appreciably less crowded this holiday season. As a result, the delays -- barring bad weather -- should be significantly reduced because there are fewer flights. Of course, you can still expect major crunches if you're traveling directly on the Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving or on the Sunday or Monday after the holiday!

Outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas, fares are going down, down, down. For example, Southwest just wrapped up a sale that featured fares from $98 to $298 round-trip on travel from the beginning of December to mid-February.

Like having an empty seat next to you? Clark has a special tip for you. If your flight is not full, book a seat on the last six rows of the plane. That's where you're likely to hit the sweet spot of empty seats. And remember, Clark does not check a bag -- ever!

Recently, Clark discussed safety issues on cruise ships.

The cruise industry has been so focused on Congressional hearings that would require standardized crime reporting among the carriers. The industry's focus historically has been on covering up crimes and not cooperating with investigators.

California had a push to put police on all ships that touch a Golden State port. While the effort passed in the state senate, the industry shot it down in the house. It's a shame because Clark thought California was on the right track.

Mind you, the penny-pinching guru does not want you to think that cruises are dangerous by their very nature. In fact, they're generally a safe form of vacation travel.

But the cruise industry is uniquely poised to crack down on crime -- their ships are controlled environments, after all -- and they're not doing it. If they need a model to follow, they should look to Disney World and its safety procedures.

Are you going on a cruise soon? Here are a few pointers Clark wants to share: Don't take nice jewelry on the ship and invite theft. And when you make port, don't buy from the local jewelers recommended by the ship. The cruise lines have kickback arrangements with these usually overpriced merchants, especially in Caribbean ports.

Again, if the cruise lines think they've been painted unfairly, Clark invites them to come on the show and rebut his comments.

Every so often, Clark talks about a particular topic that offends a segment of his listenership. Well, here's another one.

The cruise lines are covering up crimes -- robberies, assaults and even murders -- that take place onboard. Unfortunately, they're not required to report crime statistics.

Meanwhile, the industry is fighting tooth and nail in California over a bill that would put police officers onboard every cruise in the Golden State. A $3/person passenger fee is being eyed to fund this proposal.

But dirty money speaks in legislative halls. Just look at the 2 U.S. senators who got Countrywide's so-called Friends of Angelo VIP loans -- a reference to Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo. One of those senators is Christopher Dodd, who is now expected to help determine the path of possible foreclosure rescue legislation for our nation.

With the Dodd scandal we're talking about money, but with the cruise lines we're talking about passenger safety. Congress has dawdled for years on the issue of enforcing basic crime reporting on the cruise lines.

Up until now, the cruise companies haven't had much incentive to reduce crime on their ships. But if crime stats were published, then people would take notice and avoid those lines with severe problems. That would force them to clean up their act.

So the next time you hear or see a news story about cruise crime, that's your signal to not go on a cruise until the industry takes concrete steps to make it safer. If the cruise lines think they've been painted unfairly, Clark invites someone from CLIA -- the official industry trade organization -- to come on the show and rebut his comments.

Clark is not thrifty, he's cheap. But there are some lines he won't cross. For example, he will not bunk with a stranger he's never met. Yet his responsibility on this show is to bring you ideas to save you money. So if the shoe fits, wear it. CouchSurfing.com is a site that allows people to meet others around the world and stay at their homes. It's like crashing at a friend's pad, but you don't know the friend! This site -- with its MySpace-like interface -- makes hostels seem expensive. Clark admits he wouldn't have done this even in his young, mostly broke days.

Show staffers Joel and Kim have been having animated discussions about the possible dangers of CouchSurfing.com. Joel says he has stayed with people he didn't know before, but he didn't meet them through CouchSurfing.com. He does, however, tentatively have plans to try out this site and see how the experience goes. Kim, meanwhile, found an article on ABC News that reports CouchSurfing.com has been around for 5 years and only had one minor safety incident in all that time. While it is not a dating site, the article also reports that there is one known baby that's come about as a result of a CouchSurfing.com connection.

We’re off to Madrid, Spain for our 2007 staff trip in a few weeks and Clark is strongly suggesting that none of us check a bag. One staff member, who shall remain nameless, is thinking about checking one and Clark is not happy. That’s because more and more bags are getting lost each year. The percentage is up to 40 percent, in fact. That means, at least one person on every flight will not ever see their bags again. In addition, remembering the ever-changing liquid rule can be confusing. You just have to remember 3-1-1. That’s 3 ounces of liquid and you can put as many 3oz tubes into a 1 quart clear bag, and passengers can take only 1 bag of liquids. Also remember to take anything of value (spare eye glasses and medicine, for example) in your carry on. So, who are the worst at losing bags. ASA is the worst by far, with a baggage loss increase of 30 percent from a year ago. Second worst is Comair, which is up 50 percent from a year ago. Third from the bottom is American Eagle, American’s commuter carrier. Of the mainline airlines, USAir, Delta and United are losing up to 30 percent more bags as well. The least likely to lose bags are AirTran, JetBlue, Southwest and Continental. So, try not to check that bag if you can help it.

If you have any interest in traveling across our borders in the next few years, the rules have changed again. For people who are flying to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean, you must have a passport starting Jan. 23. You don’t want to spend money on a trip and lose it because you’ve forgotten to get your passport. Clark is now getting one for his 1-year-old son, Grant, because everyone needs one. If you’re wondering why this is happening, it’s because of the threat of terrorism around the world. The next phase in the new rules concerns auto travel and cruises, but that won’t go into effect until January of 2008. But the bottom line is that changes are coming and you don’t want to wait until just before the deadlines to order your passport. Many more people travel by car, so the passport applications will be pouring in at that time.

With the recent buzz over thwarted terrorist plots to harm Westerners in-flight, Clark wanted to address the situation. First and foremost, he believes we will be fine. Sure, this is a real blow to travelers and a big boost to terrorists. Pretty much every item you could take in a carry-on is no longer allowed. Lines at airports are horrendous. And the whole situation is incredibly disruptive. But, Americans are resilient as we saw after Sept. 11, 2001. We know how to fight back and adjust. People will now have to make some serious changes. For some, it will mean buying all new things when they get to their destination. Airlines will also have to cooperate. Giving people bottled water, for example, should be a given. But this is not just an issue we’ll deal with today or tomorrow. This will be an ongoing change that will affect us for the next few years. It will be another generation before things subside, and there will be loss. But we have to be vigilant and adapt. We cannot give in or give up.

The Wall Street Journal has found that the Department of Homeland Security is in real trouble when it comes to airport screening. Busy airports are going to be way short of federal workers for the peak summer season. In fact, some are predicting that waits could be up to three hours at some airports. Clark hopes that the embarrassment over the story causes the Transportation Security Administration to get on the ball and enough screeners to eliminate this problem. The airports at greatest risk are Los Angeles, Orlando, both Chicago airports, San Diego, Boston, Phoenix, San Jose and Detroit. So, why did it happen? Homeland Security decided to change the way it hires people by leaving the responsibility up to local managers instead of using a contract service. The problem is that officials discontinued one process before starting another, and the turnover is just too high. Another story Clark read reported that the worker shortage is so bad that the department has to fly screeners to various airports to fill in, putting them up in hotels and paying them a per diem all the while. To prevent these long wait times look at the TSA Web site, tsa.gov.

The Transportation Safety Authority is finally doing away with some of the silly rules it established in the wake of Sept. 11. You won’t have little scissors and clippers seized anymore, and there are going to be a number of items that you’re allowed to carry. A list will be added soon to the TSA Web site, tsa.gov, according to reports. So keep checking. In addition, there will also be a new way of tagging people for additional screening. Clark was at the airport last night and he couldn’t come up with any rhyme or reason for it. But let’s hope it involves creative safety improvements. The good news is that someone taking over an airline in flight is next to impossible. Another thing to remember is that airlines are coming up with all kinds of ways to charge extra for baggage. Rumors are spreading that airlines are giving kickbacks to employees who snag people with excess baggage. The airlines are starved for revenue right now, and they’re trying to come up with ways to make extra money. Some of these charges can add up to more than the price of a ticket. Also, make sure that you’re checked in 45 minutes before the flight is scheduled to leave. That includes time spent waiting in line. So, the onus is on you. Kiosk check-ins are a real convenience for this reason.

Have you heard the story of the “non-flying nun?” Sister Glen Anne McFee, the head of education for the Catholic Church in the U.S., was put on the terrorist watch list several years ago. She is not a terrorist, but she flies frequently to various countries so somehow she made it on the list. The problem was that the federal government had no procedure in place to get her off the list. So, for two years, she would go to the airport not knowing what ordeal she had to go through. Finally, she had to use political connections in the White House to remove her from the watch list. Tons of innocent people have ended up on this list, and the TSA has no way of correcting it. Even worse, the government has decided to shut down the “Trusted Traveler Program,” which has been very effective in countries like Israel where terrorism occurs daily. The program uses eye scans and biometrics to check people and it’s worked for years in other countries. If we’re going to have real security, we need to target the right people instead of isolating and mistreating people who pose no threat whatsoever. Let’s use our intelligence intelligently.

A very small percentage of Americans have passports, because most only travel to nearby countries where they don’t need a passport. But because of terrorism concerns, you are going to have to get a passport if you’re going to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or on a cruise. As of December, you will need a little blue book to go on a cruise in the Caribbean or to go to the Caribbean, as it’s called. By December 2006, you’ll need one to go to Canada or Mexico. Yes, getting a passport is a hassle. You have to get two passport photos made first and you must present an original birth certificate. It’s not cheap and it takes about two or three weeks. But it opens up the world to you, and, more importantly, you have to do it if you want to travel. Clark hopes more members of Congress get out of the country more often, since they have to pass judgment on foreign affairs all the time.

Clark travels quite a bit each year, spending close to 100 nights a year in hotels. He hasn’t checked a bag since 1988, which was also the last time he lost a bag. Checking a bag adds so much airport waiting time and it’s way too risky these days. Airlines are losing 40 percent more bags this year than last, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Airlines are having major breakdowns in their baggage handling departments, in part because of the job loss in baggage carrier positions. In a lot of areas, airlines are having trouble filling jobs because the wages are so bad. It’s caused a train wreck for travelers because bags are disappearing all the time. The solution to this is to never check a bag. If you can, pack light and always carry on your bags. It is much safer and will save you a ton of time.

If you’re flying over the holidays, Clark has an early Christmas present for you. The Dallas Morning News has done exhaustive research into airline safety. They have collected all of the information since 1982, when data started being collected. The research shows that airline travel has gotten safer every year by huge amounts. The chances of you being in an airplane crash are almost nil. In one year, more people die in one state on highways than die on airplanes throughout the world. Pilots are also much better trained than ever. In other airline news, Delta is treating its customers much better these days. A few years ago, Delta was treating its most frequent fliers – known as “medallion members” – like dirt. Today, they have changed most of those policies and are offering more rewards for flying. In addition, Delta has also cut the change fee from $100 to $50 for all fliers. And flying a pet or child now costs $50 instead of $100 as well. Company representatives even mentioned “Costco” as its model for the changes, which Clark loves. Hopefully, Delta’s changes will put a lot of pressure on competitors to create more customer friendly policies.

Clark has an obsession with saving money when you travel. This includes what you spend on flights as well as how much you pay for a place to stay. But what if you could stay anywhere for free? And what if you had not just a hotel room, but also an entire house? There are a variety of exchange services that pair families in different countries who want to travel to each other’s countries. The families swap homes for a week or so each year. Home Exchange is the gray beard in the business and HomeLink is another one to try. Home Exchange costs $50 a year to join, so it’s for true travelers. Just remember that homes in the United States are often much nicer and more spacious than accommodations in European countries, so be realistic in your expectations.

---

Pictures of hotels and homes do not always tell the truth, and people should not trust what they see online or in brochures. Some hotels will even fabricate what they look like. So, you want to check the Star Guide and the Travel Planner, which lists the highly respected Mobile ratings. When booking at Web sites, you need to remember that they basically make up the ratings. tripadvisor.com is another site to consult before booking. Tripadvisor gives realistic ratings for hotels, and can save you an awful stay.