So often, Clark will get a call on the show from someone griping about an awful hotel they booked. The most important question he asks is, "Did you stay?" There's a phrase in the travel industry that goes "If you stay, you pay." The time to fight about your money is at the get-go, not after you've stayed multiple nights.

In a small number of instances, Clark has turned right around and left when he's gotten a bad hotel. It happened last year when he was booked into a gang-infested hotel, and the year prior when executive producer Christa mistakenly booked him into a hotel on Prostitution Row in a Florida city.

The best way to avoid a problem in the first place is by checking hotel reviews online. TripAdvisor is an extremely influential site for this purpose, and has now unveiled its 2010 list of the Top 10 Dirtiest Hotels. This tainted tally contains both listings for the United States and abroad.

European hoteliers have gone crazy in response and are trying to get the European Union to crackdown on review sites like TripAdvisor. The hoteliers say they need a way to ensure that anonymous reviews are not being posted by rivals.

The web experience is chaotic by its nature, but it also offers collective wisdom. when you go to an unfamiliar place, it's great to be able to look at hotel reviews and benefit from the collective wisdom.

Make sure you get the best experience possible by doing your homework upfront.

Aloha from Maui! Clark and his staffers recently returned from their annual staff trip and this year they opted for the sunny climes of one of Hawaii's most famous islands. See a slide show of some of the beautiful sights we saw!

There is one cardinal rule that governs all staff trips: Buy the deal first and then figure out why you want to go there. Of course, when you're talking about Maui, you don't have to look too hard for reasons!

This year's location was picked when $497 roundtrip tickets became available on American Airlines. Unlike prior years, everyone on the team stayed at different places on the island based on their interests. Some wanted to be on the waterfront while others wanted to be near the city. Clark and his wife, however, wanted to be up on the hills.

One of the consumer champ's best tips for saving money in Hawaii involves buying food at Costco Wholesale. The markup is just too high elsewhere. Fortunately, there was a Costco conveniently located adjacent to the Maui Airport when the crew flew in.

Producers Kim and Joel stayed (separately) with their guests at a high-rise hotel in Ka'anapali that they booked on Priceline. They paid $90/night and were even upgraded to a condo suite for free.

Meanwhile, our engineer Deborah and web producer Kate chose a 2BR waterfront condo on a beautiful private cove near Napili where they could watch the whales and turtles from their deck. They got their deal through a resort company that manages condos. They were able to talk the price down from $380/night to $225/night.

Clark and his wife stayed at Kapalua in a magnificent condo for $225/night. Sounds too rich? The consumer champ made up for it by eating off the dollar menu at local McDonald's restaurants.

Kim identified the highlight of her trip as a motorized hang-gliding excursion over Hana. Both Deb and Kate said the drive up to Hana was a highlight. On the road, they saw a rainbow eucalyptus tree, amazing waterfalls, breaching whales, rainbows and turtles. Joel said playing disc golf at Kapalua (with Clark) was his favorite moment.

Car rentals were going for about $100/week plus junk fees. Kim put some of Clark's longstanding advice into play: Fix a rental yourself if you have some minor damage. She spent $25 out of her own pocket to fix a broken mirror rather than face a bill that could have been several hundred dollars from the rental company for the fix.

The difficulty of flying to and from Maui was one slight damper on the trip, according to Clark. American Airlines unfortunately had cancellations going both ways.

The most important rule when dealing with a cancellation is do not stand in line at the airport. That's a guaranteed road to nowhere.

Instead, try picking up the phone and talking to reservations. Keep your cool, keep smiling and be polite, but don't let them treat you like a pushover. If you get someone unhelpful on the phone, just hang up and call back to speak with a more level-headed representative.

The hard deals you can drive with hoteliers right now are simply unreal. Why? The hotel business is hurting because there's a tremendous oversupply of rooms.

The hotels are in a unique and unenviable position. Airlines can park planes when demand drops. Rental car companies can downsize their fleets.

But pity the poor hotel owners; they can't just pick a hotel up and move it to another location! And to make matters worse, new hotels that have been in development will continue entering the market throughout 2010.

Let's look at the Orlando market as an example. Orlando hotels had their worst year ever in 2009. On a typical night, there was a vacancy rate of about 40 percent, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

There are also similar numbers elsewhere in the country -- even in New York City. Clark recently received an e-mail from QuikBook.com that listed two dozen Big Apple hotels with prices starting at $70/night up to $120/night. Historically in New York, your taxes on a room were $70!

So now is the time to drive a hard bargain. Use Hotwire and Priceline to help you. Do not bid for anything below four stars because the ratings tend to be inflated. See Clark's previous shownotes for more bidding tips.

The nation's airlines are looking for more ways to get in your pocket. The latest effort by Delta and Continental involves raising baggage fees to the point that they may exceed some tickets!

The first checked bag will be $25 ($23 if you do it online) and the second somewhere in the $30 range depending on airline.

Southwest Airlines, meanwhile, still has no baggage fees. Nor will this discount airline charge you to change a trip once you've booked. Perhaps that's why Southwest keeps gaining more market share while the full-fare airlines watch their shares shrink.

Think Southwest is crazy? Well, they must be crazy like a fox. Customers who may be on the cusp about taking a trip are probably more likely to book because they know they won't get hit with a fee to change a ticket.

Nobody knows if Southwest will continue with no baggage fees, but it certainly has made for some strong imaging for them. You can see their "no baggage fees" commercials on constant rotation during the NFL playoff games.

But what if Southwest doesn't serve the markets you need? There's still one way to avoid baggage fees on the full-fare airlines: Don't check a bag! Clark only travels with what an airline permits free as a single carry-on -- usually a 22x14x8 piece of luggage. That way he never worries about the airline losing his baggage, either!

Just be sure you follow the carry-on rules of your airline to the letter. During the Christmas season, Clark saw a woman with a single carry-on and a shopping bag in her hand. They would not permit her to take both on. The woman had words with an airline representative who was extremely rude, and she was made to pay the baggage fee in the end.

A lot of recent media attention has been dedicated to the new mega-cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas. This behemoth has room for 6,000 people!

All of the cruise lines try to "one up" each other with the launch of increasingly fancier ships. The launches are planned years in advance and certainly don't account for the possibility of fewer passengers because of a slumping economy.

So where will the customers come from? Even if the economy recovers, natural demand can't soak up all the new cabins in the marketplace.

The new supply of accommodations means older ships will have to discount to attract passengers. There's a real chance of scoring a deal -- if you don't care about having bragging rights because you cruised on the newest, hottest ship.

Remember, if you want to book a cruise, Clark recommends using a cruise-only agency or a cruise-only agent at a regular agency especially if you're a first-time cruiser. Every ship and every itinerary has its own personality and you want to find a good match.

David Lazarus of The Los Angeles Times has uncovered a new wrinkle in the mail pitches being sent out for timeshares.

Have you received a postcard around your birthday with an offer of two roundtrip airfares to any U.S. location, plus a car rental? Don't dial that number in an attempt to redeem it! It's very likely a time share solicitation disguised as a free trip.

You'll need to sit through a 90-minute strong arm pitch. And those free tickets aren't really free. You can only go where they say and when.

Why the smoke and mirrors? "If we said 'time share,' our response rate would probably go down," one marketer told Lazarus. "That's why we say, 'call for details.' "

Remember, never buy a time share from the original developer. The only way to buy a time share is used from an existing owner. They paid the big money to buy it, most of which went to marketing, sales and commissions -- not the property itself.

Got a spare $200,000 and want to travel into space? It's going to be possible in 2011 thanks to Richard Branson. The Virgin mogul's Virgin Galactic division has rolled out the world's first commercial manned spaceship.

In the past, the world's wealthiest people had to pay $20 million to go up into space with the Russians as space tourist cosmonauts. So Branson is essentially providing a relatively affordable option for the merely rich!

That's the price curve of technology at work. Look at the history of air travel for another example. For 70 years, only the wealthy could travel by airplane. Now it's cheap enough for everyone.

Some 300 people have already paid Branson $40 million in deposits. Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo will carry six passengers at a time.

Clark himself has no interest in going into outer space, though his wife would like to do so. He's vowed to pass a collection plate around among his staff for Lane's otherworldly excursion!

But commercial space travel is an exciting development no matter how you look at it. The impossible eventually becomes routine and then even mundane. Think about wagons going West in the early pioneer days. Then the railroads came in and people were amazed they could go cross-country at 20 mph. Now today we gripe about the five hours it takes for a cross-country flight!

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?"

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is having a closed door meeting with labor representatives to figure out how to save the full fare airlines. Re-regulation of the industry is one of the topics up for discussion.

Aren't the feds busy enough? Do they really need to interfere further in the free market to the detriment of the flying public?

As a former owner of a travel agency chain, Clark knows that de-regulation is what democratized flying in the first place so that people could afford to take a vacation or see family and entrepreneurs could afford to take a trip to explore new business opportunities.

The full fare airlines continue ailing while the discount airlines are the only ones with a fighting chance to survive.

How is it that the discounters can offer their services so much cheaper? Typically, they run a much simpler business. The full-fares fly up to eight or 10 types of airplanes in their fleets. Discounters, however, will only fly one or two types of jets.

In addition, discounters put the focus on customers by offering deals instead of trying to come up with new ways to fee you to death like the full-fares.

Meanwhile, US Airways has devalued its frequent flier miles again. Starting in January, they're increasing the number of miles that it takes to redeem a ticket.

So having a stockpile of miles is like having a reverse savings account -- the value leeches out of them everyday. Be sure to use yours up as soon as possible.

Many of you have asked for an update on getting the best travel deals for the holiday season. Unfortunately, there's a reason Clark's been mostly mum on this issue.

This is not a normal travel year. While you can steal a deal on a hotel, car rentals are extremely expensive. The car rental companies are responding to the down economy by not adding to their fleets, which reduces the supply of available vehicles.

Air travel, meanwhile, has some real deals for fall and winter travel on the domestic and international fronts -- particularly to Australia and New Zealand.

But don't expect to find a deal during the Thanksgiving travel period for domestic travel. For example, some routes that are typically $59-$69 one-way to Florida are now selling in the $200 range -- if you can find a seat.

Her's Clark's best advice for getting something approximating a deal this holiday season:

• Have a flexible travel date. United Airlines has an online calendar that can help you suss out the best travel days, no matter which airline you're flying.

• Fly before 3 p.m. on any travel day if possible. You're likely to avoid weather delays that way.

• Beware of excessive baggage fees if you're taking presents to or from your destination. Southwest Airlines has no baggage fees at all, but they don't serve every market. Shipping packages with UPS Ground or FedEx Ground can help.

• Finally, Clark recommends searching both Kayak.com and Southwest.com when looking for fares. Southwest does not publish its fares to screen-scraper sites like Kayak.

MONEY-SAVING MOMENT: Cruises present some of the best travel opportunities right now. This is your time if you can scrounge together enough money.

Last month, Clark talked about what a deal cruises are in the fall. Demand just drops off after Labor Day. Meanwhile, so few people are focused on booking cruises into next year. That's why the industry has steadily expanded its World's Largest Cruise Night promotion.

October has become a great month to buy, even into the spring of next year if you can plan that far ahead! The industry continues to roll out the deals as it reels from the recession. USA Today has a list highlighting some of the offers.

If you want to book a cruise, Clark recommends going to a cruise-only agency or a cruise-only agent at a regular agency. Every ship and every itinerary has its own personality. Inexperienced cruisers would be wise to consult with a professional so they get the most out of their vacation.

Don't like cruises? Walt Disney is offering a buy four nights, get three night free offer at Disney accommodations that are mid-price and above. That's a big deal considering that Disney historically has not discounted their properties. And it's just another symptom of how badly the hotel business is hurting too.

Making a phone call from an airplane that's in-flight is now legal in several European countries. Sounds cool, right? Well, maybe not. Clark would dread this coming to the Unites States, where it currently is illegal. The sky is the last bastion of silence a traveler can get!

The flight attendants' union is strident about making the current ban permanent in our nation. Yet surprisingly, Clark has not read anything in the European press to suggest that people are complaining about their fellow passengers talking on cell phones while in-flight. That would suggest that people are happy to hear their neighbors yapping away!

Interestingly, USA Today reports that domestic travelers are making calls using Skype while they're in the air. There's nothing specifically in the our ban to say that wifi calling services are illegal.

Want to have your say? Vote in our poll!

The deals out there in the travel marketplace are the best they've been in just about forever.

Hotels.com reports that hotel rates are down 17 percent year over year. That's a very large drop in price. Clark typically uses Priceline and Hotwire to book his hotels and he's found some very decent accommodations in the $30 range. Top tier four-star hotels, meanwhile, are going for $65-$75. The luxury end of the business is offering some of the best bargains in the form of packages. That means you'll get value-added services -- free meals, free spa treatments, etc. -- bundled in with the price of a room.

Airlines are also offering great deals. If you have tons of frequent flier miles, try cashing them in to fly international front of cabin.

Car rentals are the one segment of travel that has gone up in price. The car rental companies sensed the softening economy and refused to buy new fleet cars, thus driving down supply. Clark suggests booking your car rental when you book your flight. Then one week before your trip, re-shop your car rental. You may find a slightly better deal this way.

Finally, cruises are a deal too -- even though many companies are focusing on overseas markets instead of domestic cruising. But with the weakening dollar, Clark would prefer to do Europe by land rather than by sea.

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!

Clark loves discount airlines like Southwest, JetBlue, AirTran, Frontier and others. When they go into a market, airfares start dropping like flies.

In April, the consumer champ took an hourlong flight to a market that was only served by full-fare airlines. He had to pay $1,350 RT! Had he had access to a discounter, he would have paid at most a few hundred dollars for the same trip.

Little wonder then that discounters are the only ones making money right now. The full-fares, meanwhile, are reporting major losses of up to $250,000 billion each quarter.

How is it that the discounters can offer their services so much cheaper? Typically, they run a much simpler business. The full-fares fly up to 8 or 10 types of airplanes in their fleets. Discounters, however, will only fly one or two types of jets.

In addition, discounters put the focus on customers by offering deals instead of trying to come up with new ways to fee you to death like the full-fares.

Let's take a closer look at the fees. Discounters like Southwest and JetBlue charge you zero to check-in a bag. The full-fares generally charge $15-$25 for the first bag.

How about sending a minor unaccompanied on a flight? Most discounters will charge you $25-$50. The full-fares will run you $100.

When it comes to talking to a human over the phone, a discounter like Southwest lets you do that for free. Most of the full-fares, however, will charge you $20-$25 to pick up the phone.

And taking a pet on the airplane? The full-fares will charge up to $150. Southwest, however, charges zero dollars.

Visit Kayak.com for a full list of airline fees.

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.

The price-fixing of fuel surcharges is something that really burns Clark up. When the cost of a barrel of oil dropped, the surcharges did not go away. Anyone smell a rat here?

The Wall Street Journal reports that this rat may be bigger than previously thought. The CEO of Virgin Atlantic Airways admits he was involved in the price-fixing of fuel surcharges with British Airways and other unnamed airlines.

Need another clear indication that fuel surcharges are just a bogus ploy? Consider this: A shorter international flight often has a higher surcharge than a longer flight.

There is a simple way to fix this: Require airlines to quote the entire price of a ticket (including fuel surcharges) in advertisements, to travel agents and on the web.

Clark is upset that no one at Virgin or BA is going to prison over this debacle. Every executive involved at every airline should go to jail. Monetary slaps on the wrist are not enough.

On a brighter note, airfares for both domestic and international travel will be fantastic this fall. Why? Air travel is discretionary and people simply aren't traveling like they once did. So look for deals from September up to mid-December -- except right around Thanksgiving.

And when you get where you're going, the hotel rates will be great too. The Smith Travel Research firm says the average room rate has dropped 10% year over year.

An enterprising musician who had his guitar broken by United Airlines has created a protest song that's become a runaway web sensation.

Dave Carroll's $3,500 Taylor guitar was broken by United baggage handlers at Chicago's O'Hare Airport in the spring of 2008. During the ensuing 9-month period, Carroll attempted to get some compensation for the guitar. But he was repeatedly given the runaround by customer no service representatives.

His response? To film a video for an original song called "United Breaks Guitars" that has now gotten nearly 3 million views on YouTube. See the video here:



After the surprising success of Carroll's clip, United came back with its tail between its legs and offered to make him whole. But the disgruntled musician refused and told United to donate the money to a charity of his choice.

The lesson here is that the web gives consumers a new level of power against businesses that have wronged them. There's a similar kind of power in sites like Yelp or TripAdvisor. Both sites cull the collective wisdom of users' experiences with a variety of companies so you know who is safe and who to avoid.

In an example of the collective wisdom sites at work, Clark's brother called him one night in need of last-minute accommodations in Bryce City, Utah. Clark used TripAdvisor to locate hotels in the area and read the online reviews to help his brother make an informed decision.

Meanwhile, The Financial Times of London reports that 92% of people say they trust word of mouth from friends, associates and colleagues when it comes to making a consumer decision. 75% say they trust collective wisdom sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor. And only 60% of people report trusting traditional image-based advertising.

United would do well to remember it's no longer about the image you try to portray in commercials. What really matters is the trust you establish with customers based on how you treat them everyday.

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.

Clear -- the verified identity program for travelers -- has gone bust and left business travelers across the nation high and dry.

Executive producer Christa is among those impacted. Clark, however, is a member of a Clear competitor called Preferred Traveler.

Unless you signed up for Clear within the last 60 days, you'll probably have to kiss your money goodbye. If you are lucky enough to be within the 60-day limit, you can do a credit card charge-back (aka dispute) to get your money back.

The consumer champ had been hoping that Clear would bring some real security to the United States, with its emphasis on retinal and fingerprint scans. But in the end, it was nothing more than a "glorified front-of-the-line experience," according to Clark.

It's been almost a full 8 years since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. And in that time, we've done remarkably little to ensure safety for air travelers.

The crux of the problem goes back to former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, who is of Japanese descent. Mineta came from a family that spent time in a Japanese internment camp and understandably took a very PC approach to airport security and issues of profiling.

So now we have to tiptoe through the airport while barefoot and segregate our liquids. It's just plain silly. Clark's wife calls it "security theater."

What's even sillier is that we're not relying on human intelligence. In Europe, they have trained staff to look you in the eye and ask targeted questions. They then make a human determination about whether you seem suspiciously deceptive or nervous in your answers.

In addition, Clark says it's terrible that we haven't hired an entity like the Israeli government -- from a country that faces plenty of security threats each day -- to come and advise us on how to run real airport security.

We've blown this for almost 8 years now. Yet with the collapse in tourism and business travel, now is a good time to make amends.

Speaking of tourism, The Orlando Sentinel reports that hotel occupancy in May was at 58%, down from 70% a year ago. That means the deals are everywhere.

The last time Clark looked, he saw decent hotels in Orlando for $35/night. Hotel rates at decent New York hotels are in the $90/range.

If you have the money, now is a great time to take advantage of the deals.

Here we are in the midst of vacation season and the deals are everywhere!

Clark has found a new website called Voyij.com that scans cyberspace for the best airfare sales, hotels deals and vacation packages.

You simply select a departing airport and supply a general idea of when you'd like to travel. No specific departure date is required. Of course, some of the results may be false leads, but others will be real savings opportunities for you.

Deals are easy to come by these days. The international airlines have doubled their dismal estimates about the losses they expect to take this year. They're just having too much trouble filling seats, even as they park more planes in the desert.

The best deals from the United States right now are all to Australia. You may even be able to get a fare to Down Under that's lower than it would be to go to Europe from many U.S. markets. Richard Branson's V Australia airline is partly to thank for this.

There are also other great deals to Central America, as well as to various locations in the United States of America itself.

Here's the key Clark Howard rule when it comes to travel: Buy the deal first and then figure out why you want to go there! You'll save a fortune and eventually see the whole world this way, just like Clark. And he's done it cheaper than just about anybody else, except a rot-gut cheap backpacker!

When you're talking about budget air travel, it doesn't get much cheaper than the hard discounters in Europe and Asia.

Ryanair -- the most successful of them all -- has stripped every frill out of its planes to deliver the lowest fares. For example, the seats don't recline, there are no seat-back pockets and you won't find any window shades. They even cram 199 seats onto a 737 that usually only holds 150 people.

But, oh, what savings: Clark took a flight from England to Ireland for the equivalent of $1.75!

Now an American airline is launching with prices to rival the international hard discounters. Jet America offers 9 seats for $9 on every flight, and fares step up from there. They're starting with one single aircraft per route and will add more over time so they don't risk growing too quickly.

(Editor's note: Jet America has since gone out of business. If you are having difficulty getting a refund, contact your credit card issuer to do a charge-back. You have 60 days from the date of purchase to do so.)

The only other hard discounters in the United States include Spirit Air and Allegiant Air.

Clark compares the hard discounter trend in air travel to the discount bus services that are available in the United States. Bolt Bus (fares starting at $1) and Mega Bus are both prime examples.

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."

Think you can't afford Hawaii? Aloha, McFly! It's never been more affordable to stay in paradise!!

Hotel bookings on the Hawaiian Islands are at the worst level in 20 years, since record-keeping first began. In fact, 1 out of 3 hotel rooms sat vacant during the recent peak season. Historically, hoteliers hope to sell out more nights than not in a peak season.

So what's going on? Several airlines that flew to Hawaii -- including Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines -- have both gone out of business. That leaves mainly the full-fare airlines serving Hawaii.

But even the full-fares are reducing their number of flights. Their business model is too inefficient to support extensive flying to some far-flung vacation destinations.

So if you're lucky enough to find a deal on airfare, you can count on your accommodations being very affordable. Clark particularly likes VRBO.com for finding cheap vacation rentals by owners.

Imagine if you're able to use frequent flier miles to get free airfare and use free stay points to get your hotel accommodation for nada. Hmmm…Free airfare + free stay points = time in paradise for FREE. That's the kind of math that Clark likes!

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?

Last year, Clark told a story about flying on a little commuter plane that had been re-purposed to carry 50 passengers -- instead of the 6 people it was originally intended to seat! The crux of Clark's story hung on the fact that he was seated next to an obese passenger, which made it a very uncomfortable flight.

Boy, the reaction we got from that story.

Now, United Airlines is empowering its flight attendants to eyeball customers and determine who needs one seat and who needs two. Those who are particularly overweight won't be allowed to fly unless they purchase a second seat.

In essence, the United flight attendants are playing the fat police!

So whose rights should come first? The overweight flier, or the normal-sized passenger who needs to sit next to that individual? That's the topic of this week's poll. Be sure to vote and make your voice heard!

In other airline news, a couple of Dallas-based carriers are in the red. Clark's "girlfriend," Southwest Airlines, is losing money and even trying to get employees to take buyouts and leave.

Meanwhile, American Airlines has been having a lot of union issues. Their union workers took huge pay cuts to prevent the company from going into bankruptcy. But then when times got better, American paid huge bonuses to its executives instead of compensating the union workers. That's not a good way to build loyalty among the rank and file.

The results of this year's Airline Quality Rating (AQR) have been announced and -- in a surprising development -- airline performance has actually improved for the first time in 5 years.

So airlines are doing a better job taking care of you than in the past, and it comes at the same time that airfares are dropping across the industry!

The AQR is widely considered the most definite review of the industry. Airlines are ranked on 15 individual criteria – including baggage handling, customer complaints, denied boardings and on‐time arrivals.

So who's the best and who's the worst??

The single best airline is one most people have probably never flown: Hawaiian Airlines. AirTran (No. 2) and JetBlue (No. 3) also had strong showings. But one of Clark's girlfriends -- Southwest Airlines -- dropped to No. 6!

In last place among the big airlines was Delta (No. 12). They were followed by United (No. 11), US Air (No. 10), American (No. 9) and Continental (No. 8).

The largest commuter carriers were rated as well. The single worst airline of all? Atlantic Southeast, a Delta carrier, which came in at No. 17.

It started off with Hyundai's layoff coverage -- you know, the deal everyone's buzzing about where they let you off the hook if you buy a car and lose your job.

Now JetBlue is doing the same.

What a novelty factor for the airline business. JetBlue will actually give you a full ticket refund if you're laid off from your full-time job within one year of booking!

That's a major about-face from accepted policy across much of the industry. Airlines can cancel a flight for any reason and all they're required to do is give you your money back. But if your plans change, they can charge you up to hundreds of dollars in cancellation fees -- unless of course you're talking about Clark's "girlfriend" Southwest Airlines. At Southwest, there's no penalty for changing a ticket ever!

The JetBlue announcement has garnered a lot of attention because it's another angle on the insecurity people feel about getting laid off. If JetBlue is as successful as Hyundai with their tactic, you may see this kind of thing in more industries that are reliant on discretionary spending.

Still, a lot of our unease on the job front is not necessarily rational. The fact is that most of us won't be losing our jobs. Yet the idea of doing a financial fire drill has powerful appeal in a time of fear.

There's a summer fare war brewing between Southwest, AirTran and all of the full fare airlines. Southwest got the ball rolling with a nationwide sale on travel through June 24. They're capping fares at $98-$258 round-trip.

AirTran quickly matched the deal and also expanded it to the entire summer -- not just through June 24. Their fares start at $39 one-way and mostly cap out at $189 one-way.

Once both major discounters threw down the gauntlet, the full fare airlines matched their rates. They full fares can't really afford to match those rates, but nor can they risk losing business all summer.

More good news on the hotel front, as well. Once you get where you're going, the bargains on accommodations are fantastic.

The only potential ugliness this summer will be with car rentals. The rental companies are reducing their fleets, which results in the possibility that you'll get older, run-down vehicles. The decline in fleet also means the cost of a car per day is going up.

Clark recommends booking a car at the time that you book your air travel; remember, car rental fees are completely refundable. Then one week before your trip, check the rates again and see if you can grab a better deal at a lower price.

United Airlines plans to eliminate all human contact customer service by the end of April.

They had "customer no service" anyway -- a foreign call center staffed by people with no authority to solve problems -- but what a statement this makes. United doesn't even want to consider pretending that they offer customer service!

They're now suggesting that anyone with a complaint write a letter or send an e-mail.

The airline industry has repeatedly shown a complete lack of focus on the customer. A powerful lobby in Washington has shot down every effort to make this a customer-focused industry. Hmm…isn't it ironic that they can't seem to figure out how to make money?

The key to running a business is to treat your employees well and communicate a sense of mission to them so they can go out and help the customer. Clark refers to it as romancing your employees so they'll romance your customer.

But the airlines have made it their mission to continually cheapen their product to the point that no one wants to buy. Even as they park aircraft, they can't do it fast enough to accommodate the decline in demand brought on by years of poor customer experiences.

To paraphrase Gordon Bethune -- the man who saved Continental -- it is possible to make a pizza so cheap that no one will ever want to eat it.

Perhaps the congressman and senators who fly commercial aren't really aware of the shoddy customer service. After all, they get preferential treatment and their own private waiting rooms. But currying favor in D.C. is not a way to make money. You make money by treating your customers right.

Shame on you, United.

A couple of ads recently caught Clark's eye because they really sum up the change in attitude in America during these troubling economic times.

First, there's JetBlue's full-page ad in The New York Times and elsewhere. This cheeky ad pitches to "CEOs, CMOs, CTOs, CFOs -- basically anyone with a 'C' in their title…Former Treasury Secretaries…[and] Recipients of Secret Seven-Figure Bonuses," among others. See the full ad.

What JetBlue is doing is tapping into a lot of class resentment about the spoiled brats on Wall Street who played fast and loose with money. They're really striking the whole "it's not fair" nerve that's been exposed in Americans by the continuing financial and auto industry bailouts.

Of course, this is a very timely ad; you could show it to a college advertising class in 15 years and they'd have no idea what it's all about!

Meanwhile, Target also has a new ad campaign that aims to reinvent the retailer's image for new, leaner times. Target has always positioned itself as an affordable splurge over the years. Suddenly, any kind of splurge is seen as irrelevant and the store's sales are suffering.

So the Target campaign is all about the "new." A recent circular showed the "new" room service (private label OJ and cereal at home); the "new" commute (a man in a suit on a bicycle); the "new" personal trainer (home exercise equipment); and the "new "restaurant (eating at home). All things that can be pricey, but are now being reinvented on the cheap. You get the picture.

This is a sign of the time as Target tries to reconnect with those shoppers who are going to places like Wal-Mart instead to save a buck.

Clark is back from a Las Vegas vacation that he and his wife enjoyed during the recent holiday weekend. Las Vegas doesn't have to be all about the gambling. In fact, the penny-pincher loves it because he believes the city offers the best people watching on Earth.

That's not to say Clark didn't do any gambling; he did wager $1 in a Tabasco slot machine on executive producer Christa's behalf and promptly lost it!

Clark and his wife stayed at the new Trump International, which they got on Priceline for $105/night for a suite. Right now the regular rooms can be had for as low as $89/night. In general, hotels were practically giving away rooms because their occupancy levels are so far down. Ditto on the restaurants, which offer specials at certain times of the day when business is slow.

Another bright spot of the trip was that Clark's rental car cost only $8 before junk fees thanks to a new no-frills, automated Hertz discount subsidiary called Simply Wheelz by Hertz.

Other activities the consumer champ enjoyed included a day-trip to Utah's Snow Canyon State Park and several trips to In-N-Out Burger.

Clark and his wife are about to embark on a trip to Las Vegas thanks to some cheap airfare they managed to land. Though they'll be going on a holiday weekend, they had no trouble finding bookings at hotels.

The penny-pincher tried bid after bid, day after day on Priceline to get a deal that was suitable. But before he entered his first bid, his first stop was BiddingForTravel.com to get a feel for what other successful bids looked like. He noticed the general trend was around $110 for a night at a 5-star hotel and started his first bid at the ridiculously low $59 before going up incrementally.

He made 24 bids over 3 days in total. How is that possible? In general, Priceline only lets you bid once a day. But in Las Vegas, there are multiple neighborhoods you can bid in -- and only 2 had 5-star hotels. He simply added a new neighborhood and rebid each time as he got turned down.

Clark ended up paying $105/night, which is way more than he expected. He thought he would be at a Wynn property, but he actually got the new Trump property. The reviews on TripAdvisor.com suggest the staff has a real attitude toward customers, so we'll see what happens…

The bright spot of the trip is that his rental car is only $8 before junk fees. That's cheap, thanks to a new no-frills, automated Hertz discount subsidiary called Simply Wheelz by Hertz.

MONEY-SAVING MOMENT: Clark is not a fan of cruises, but right now there are great deals for those who do enjoy them.

USA Today recently reported that NCL has been offering 3-night and 4-night cruises for $99/person! That rate is so low it may seem like a scam, but it's completely legitimate. Other NCL deals include $40/day for a Mediterranean excursion, according to the article.

It's not just NCL that has the sweet deals. There are deals from many of the ultra-luxury cruises that traditionally catered to high-end customers who historically weren't price sensitive. But right now, the people feeling the most pinched are precisely these "aspirational" wealthy clients.

What's in it for a cruise line to offer these kinds of deals? A cheap cabin and cheap meals are loss leaders; the real money comes not from cabin fare, but from what you spend in onshore excursion packages and onboard extras like gambling and liquor.

So if your finances are ship shape, find a ship and go! There are 2 ways to do this, Clark says. If you are an experienced cruiser, you can shop on the web and use sites like CruiseCritic.com for guidance. For the rest of us, however, it's best to book with a real person at a cruise-only agency or an experienced cruise agent at a regular agency. A good cruise agent will ask questions about your lifestyle and what activities you enjoy to gauge which ships and cruise lines will best suit you.

If you took Clark's recent advice and started posting reviews on Yelp.com, here's a story that should be of interest to you.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports a Yelper has been sued by a chiropractor after writing a review claiming the doctor cheats insurance companies.

Clark hopes this lawsuit doesn't have a chilling effect on Yelpers. If you're doing online user-generated reviews, remember to stick to the truth and not jump to crazy conclusions.

Regardless of the outcome of this legal action, the kind of collective wisdom that sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor.com and others peddle is most likely here to stay.

This winter, you can expect to see the most travel bargains since 2002. In today's economy, so much travel is discretionary and airlines are trying to compensate for the decreased demand by grounding planes. But there are still too many seats!

Need proof? Just look at Southwest -- historically one of the cheapest discounters -- which has had sale after sale in recent weeks. One of their latest promos was for $98-$218 roundtrip to just about anywhere Southwest flies (excluding Orange County).

In another indicator, Treasure Island casino (aka T.I.) was recently purchased for about one-sixth of the replacement cost if it had to be rebuilt from the ground up. Why so cheap? Well, it's not surprising when you consider room rates are completely depressed -- sometimes going for as little as $49.

Ditto for deals on accommodations in the Caribbean and Hawaii. In fact, Hawaii has seen tourism rates drop as 2 airlines that served it both folded. So if you can get to Hawaii, the bargains on accommodations are the best they've been in a long while.

In a further example, USA Today is reporting that hotel rooms in New York City are going in the $100 range. Last year, the average hotel price was some $400/night!

You shouldn't, however, expect to see any deals to Europe. The airlines are still levying their ridiculous fuel surcharges and driving the price of a ticket up -- despite the low cost of a barrel of oil.

Why not instead spend your money in America where our economy really needs it? One in every 3 airline seats in the U.S. is flown by discounters. Overseas, however, discounters account for just a fraction of 1%.

So now may be the perfect time to heed Clark's first rule of travel: Find the bargain, buy it and then figure out afterward why you want to go there!

Clark has long talked about TripAdvisor.com and how valuable it is for gleaning the collective wisdom from other travelers when you're planning a trip. There's also a site called Yelp.com that similarly culls the reflections of locals on what they know best -- their own neighborhoods. It's especially great for people who want to eat and play like a local when in unfamiliar territory.

The penny-pincher and his wife discovered Yelp during a trip to San Francisco, which happens to be the website's hometown. Whenever the couple wanted to dine out, they simple "Yelped" and got great suggestions on the top local restaurants.

If you want to use Yelp, be forewarned that you'll encounter a lot of foul language in the user postings. Yelp tends to attract younger, hipper posters who favor 4-letter words.

The New York Times reports there are 4 million reviews on Yelp from all around the country. When Clark was in Portland before a flight, he got a bad case of bagelitis and wanted to find the best local bagel shop. Yelp directed him to an unassuming, counter-culture kind of place that he normally wouldn't frequent. He was rewarded with the best bagel he's had outside of New York City.

The Times article also reports that food snobs and high-end chefs are up in arms about Yelp. It turns out they resent ordinary people reviewing their restaurants!

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!

Looking for a silver lining in the slowing economy? Airlines may be parking planes in the desert and raising ticket prices, but hotels and resorts are really hurting. That's great news if you want to stay at a hotel!

Clark books 95% of the hotels he stays in through Priceline or Hotwire. With both sites, he only knows the star-level of a booking and doesn't find out the brand until after he pays non-refundable money. His latest deals on 4-star hotels have been in the $49-$59/night range. He won't even touch the 1- or 2-star hotels because both sites inflate their ratings of hotels.

If you're not comfortable with booking "blind," you can always use Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. All 3 of those sites still offer really good fall sales and some perks like free gasoline with your stay. You'll pay more than on Priceline or Hotwire, but at least you'll know where you're staying upfront.

If you choose to go the Priceline route, check BiddingForTravel.com, which is a forum where travelers help each other and share knowledge -- including tips on how to bid multiple times a day.

For Hotwire, check BetterBidding.com for an equivalent service.

To figure out what hotel you might get on Hotwire, follow these steps: Select the dates you want to go; click on the "build a package" option for a rental car (even if you don't plan on renting one); and then they'll show you what hotels would come with the car rental. This trick will work about 80% or 90% of the time. Just remember it is non-refundable once you buy!

Clark is back from a wonderful European vacation with his wife. They got an airfare sale to Copenhagen, Denmark, and traveled much of Scandinavia and over to Estonia.

In Copenhagen, Clark rode some of the city's many free, ad-plastered bikes. Biking is a way of life there. More people commute via bike than via automobile in Copenhagen. And how many overweight people do you see there? If you guessed none, you're correct.

There's a whole different mentality in Denmark and elsewhere in Scandinavia. They aren't caught up in the suburban quest for a bigger house and a fancier car. City living is all about cramped apartment flats. So the Danes may have to sacrifice lifestyle, but they use less energy per person than in any other developed country.

Clark also had the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Estonia -- the birthplace of Skype! Getting to Estonia via Finland was quite an adventure; the Finns like to take cruise lines to Estonia just to party. Clark's never seen such public drunkenness aboard the cruise ships since college!

It's no surprise that the airlines are feeing us to death. Clark recently saw a story where a reporter called all the full-fares and asked if they would ever consider charging for bathroom use. All six emphatically replied in the negative. But that fact that it even made the news makes you wonder…

About 2 years ago, Clark predicted that airlines would soon be charging you to check a bag. Did he have the gift of prophecy? Not really.

He had just flown Ryanair and was forced to wear 3 levels of clothing so that his suitcase would be light enough to be considered a carryon. So Clark wore 3 pairs of pants, 2 shirts and a sweatshirt over that while flying! His wife even has the pictures to prove it.

Have you been watching the Olympics? Clark's 9 year old was obsessed with the opening ceremonies and his 2 year old is enthralled with equestrian sports.

The penny-pincher himself finds communist China to be very confusing. For those who are wondering, Clark calls it communist China to differentiate from Taiwan (aka the Republic of China).

Clark first visited communist China 25 years ago when it was truly under the sway of Chairman Mao's legacy. At that time, he found it to be a totally rural country that looked positively feudal. He particularly recalls being at a border crossing where there were 3-story high fences and gunmen up in towers to keep the citizenry in the country.

11 years later, he visited communist China again and stopped at that same border crossing. The towers remained, but the guards were gone. The citizens of communist China now enjoyed a new level of freedom -- including freedom of movement and non-political expression.

Yet today, communist China still remains a paradox. In fact, a British reporter was just beaten while covering a Tibetan demonstration in Beijing.

Many Americans fear the economic power of communist China. The Financial Times of London reports they'll soon surpass us in manufacturing. But consider this: Clark would rather they lob a DVD player at him than a hand grenade or a nuclear weapon. They're no longer the fierce, violent opponent of ours that they were during the Korean War.

So don't be angry that they will soon out-manufacture us. Instead, let's look inward and see what we can do to improve our production.

Remember several years ago when Internet cafes were all the rage? Over in Europe, some of these cafes were huge and occupied multi-floor buildings.

The last time Clark was in London, however, he saw one formerly popular cafe that was reduced from 500 terminals to about 75. What happened? The marketplace changed. Free wifi became wide-spread and suddenly everyone could access the Internet from their cell phones.

Likewise, the Internet will increasingly be anywhere you go. Delta Airlines will have high-speed connections on all its flights by 2009. The price for access will be around $10 for a few hours or around $13 or $14 on longer flights. Delta's system will not be compatible with Skype.

Meanwhile, what you surf on is undergoing a transformation. A new class of ultra-lightweight mini-laptops -- called "netbooks" -- is all the rage. Many of them are Windows based.

Clark recently (over)paid for one Hewlett Packard model at $599. Lenovo's S10 ThinkPad is going for $399, which is not much for a fully functional mini-computer. Expect a big marketing push for netbooks this holiday season. People will be snatching them up for themselves and their favorite road warriors.

Speaking of traveling, there are new TSA-approved computer bags available where you don't have to unpack your laptop at security checkpoints. The TSA can actually check your laptop while it remains in the bag.

The latest oil trade just reached close to $115/barrel. By the time you read this, it may have topped the $115 mark. We're also paying an all-time record high for gas, adjusted for inflation. That makes this the perfect market for low-cost luxury bus service to expand around the United States. Companies like Mega Bus, Bolt Bus and others run city-to-city throughout the Midwest, the Northeast/New England and on the West Coast. On-board amenities typically include hi-speed Internet, HDTV and comfortable seats. The Wall Street Journal reports that business is up 137% in the Midwest for one company.

So what about the price? A Washington Post reporter went from Washington D.C. to midtown Manhattan for $1.50! Of course, there are only a limited number of seats at those kinds of prices. Other seats can run up to the $20 range. But taking a plane or your car would definitely be more costly. This new breed of bus lines also attracts people out of their cars by avoiding traditional crime-ridden bus terminals. They instead pick up in high-income commercial districts and drop passengers off at other high-income areas at end of the line. The irony is that Bolt Bus is owned by that parent company that owns Greyhound. They were obviously smart enough to ditch the Greyhound reputation and go with new branding and a new fleet of buses!

As the economy slows, there will be bumps along the way in the travel industry -- along with some opportunities. Aloha Airlines, a full-fare airline that served Hawaii and parts of the United States, has gone out of business because it could not survive against a discount airline called go! Fares went down from about $200 one way to $49 one way because of go! We may see more full-fare failures in the industry as the discounters continue to offer appealing rates. One caveat: Those who bought their Aloha tickets with cash or a debit card (and haven't yet used them) lost their money. So be safe and only buy tickets with a credit card.

A new report finds that air travel is really softening in the United States, which means there will be great deals available. Richard Branson's V Australia opened a route between Los Angeles and Down Under and was offering a $777 roundtrip special before it sold out. Meanwhile, the open skies policy will open up new flight routes between America and Europe, which will also mean lower fares. Clark will update you again in the coming weeks on summertime travel deals to the Old World. On the domestic front, the decreasing demand for travel means airlines can't raise fares willy-nilly just because of high oil prices. So watch out for the gotchas, such as baggage-handling fees or high charges for bringing your pet onboard.

Airlines are parking hundreds of planes in the desert, and car rental companies are dialing back on new purchases for their fleets. But hotels are sitting ducks during this travel recession. After all, you can't just stop production on a hotel that's been in the pipeline for several years.

All the extra room inventory means that what you pay for a booking will be going down. Marriott is just one chain that's reported soft bookings.

4-star hotels and below will respond to these market conditions with cuts in price. Fancier hotels, meanwhile, will offer package deals instead of outright discounting. In general, you should also look for weekend rates to be expanded from Friday-Saturday to Thursday-Sunday.

In addition, the growing number of parked planes has really hit cities like Las Vegas, Orlando and other vacation destinations.

When you do fly, you should only do so with a carry-on. Four of the Gang of 6 full-fare airlines now charge you $15 from the moment you check in your first bag!

And don't go over the weight limits with bags you do check in. Christa and her family almost faced an $80 fee for being 5 pounds over the limit -- until she opened up the suitcase and started taking things out!

Be sure to get a standard FAA-approved carry-on and don't remove the FAA tag. A couple of the full-fares have "revenue-enhancement officers" who watch passengers with non-standard carry-ons and force them to check the their for a fee.

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.

The Internet is truly going to be everywhere. Chrysler is putting a wireless Internet service called UConnect Web in all its cars. The hope is that people won't create a road hazard by surfing while they drive!

This idea of the Internet in vehicles became popular with the high-end bus services that operate on city-to-city routes throughout the Northeast. The bus carriers put in wireless Internet capabilities in a bid to attract business travelers.

Meanwhile, American Airlines is testing Internet for it fleet of planes. AA is using strategically placed towers -- similar to cell phone towers -- to implement the technology. Clark expects the market price will be around $10 a flight.

Boeing lost money when they tried equipping their planes with Internet capabilities using a satellite-based technology. Their price point would have been around $30 a flight.

Some travelers see airplanes as the last sanctuary away from work, but Clark would like the ability to surf the 'Net at 30,000 feet -- if the price is right.

Looking for a great deal to Hawaii this summer? Clark was looking at VRBO.com for a relative who wants to go to the Aloha State. This site -- offering vacation rentals by owner -- was surprisingly packed with availabilities at great prices.

Why Hawaii, why deals? Recall that both Aloha and ATA Airlines failed this past winter, so that drove up the cost of air travel to the Islands. But fewer travelers has meant less demand for accommodations. Fortunately, the drop in price of hotel and resort bookings is outpacing the rise in the cost of air travel. So you can still win on a weeklong vacation in the long run -- even if you are paying more for the flight.

Try finding a fare on Kayak.com, SideStep.com, FareCompare.com or Mobissimo.com (for international travel). They are all "screen scrapers" and search hundreds of sites to find the best deals. You'll probably find better deals than you would on Orbitz, Travelocity or Expedia.

Kayak is now testing an option to calculate the true "fly-out" price for a ticket. Their beta actually factors in baggage handling fees, the price of an in-flight beverage if you select that option, etc.

But what if you're driving rather than flying to your vacation destination? Some hotels are offering free gas card deals. You may, however, still be better off with a condo or a cheaper room rather than opting for the lure of a free gas card.

So for those who can afford a vacation, they are more affordable. Clark's golden rule is when you see a deal, grab it. Then figure out why you want to go there!

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 aims to provide you with great service on his show. Yet in some sectors of the service industry, it seems that they only want to nickel and dime you to death. Airlines are one example of an industry that has alienated American customers more so than any other sector of the travel business.

Clark recently saw an editorial cartoon that depicted passengers clinging to the wing of an airplane -- that's the only seat they could get without paying a fee. But the pilot was leaning out of the window to say there's a fee for gripping on to the wing!

In response to the fee-happy trend, Southwest Airlines has launched a new ad campaign that promises "no surprise fees." They're obviously on to something; they're the only airline making a profit right now, and they carry more customers on domestic routes than any competitor. They also won't charge you a fee if you need to change your ticket, check up to 2 bags or talk to a human.

The Dallas Morning News recently did a comparison of the full-fare airlines on the fee front.

Among the highlights: American Airlines charges you to redeem frequent flyer miles online and will begin charging you $15 to check a bag; Delta charges a $100 fee each way for an unaccompanied minor. There's also a $100 fee to travel with a small pet onboard; United charges $150 to change a nonrefundable ticket; and US Air charges you an additional fee if you want an aisle or window seat.

Christa has long called Southwest one of Clark's 2 "girlfriends" -- the other being The Wall Street Journal. In fact, he made a bold prediction that they'd become the largest airline in the U.S. some 17 years ago in a newspaper column.

The reality is that Southwest runs an efficient operation, unlike the Gang of 6 full-fare airlines. The Gang of 6 flies too many different types of aircraft, which require too much training for too many mechanics. In addition, Southwest had the presence of mind to buy fuel futures years ago. So they're paying up to a third less for fuel today than any of their competitors.

But the bottom line is that they make money by serving the needs of their customers. JetBlue and AirTran would do well to follow Southwest's lead and eliminate their fees for changing a ticket.

Are you shell-shocked by the weak dollar and looking for alternatives to expensive travel destinations? Forbes has some suggestions both at home and abroad. As the old saying goes, "When a door closes, a window opens." Below are a few of their picks:

• Thinking about Barcelona? Try Buenos Aires instead.
• Looking at Italy? Consider Portugal.
• Want to sip wine in Napa? Get your vintage on at Santa Ynez Valley.
• Headed to Dubai? Visit Jordan instead.
• Eager to relax in Hawaii? Go to Barbados.
• Phuket breaking your budget? Look at coastal Vietnam.
• Prague too expensive? Warsaw is cheap!

For domestic travel, this is going to be a year of deals on hotel stays. The hotel business has overbuilt and created too much inventory. On top of that, people are staying home for "staycations." So look for bargains on Hotwire and Priceline.

The run-up in price for a barrel of oil has created terror in the travel biz as more and more people opt for "staycations." That's when you're off from work yet you stay home to save money. To offset sluggish sales, some chain hotels and independent proprietors are offering free gas -- a 35-year old tactic not seen since the first energy crisis in 1973. Clark recalls that Days Inn locations actually had their own gas pumps on premises! SmartMoney.com reports that Hilton, Holiday Inn and Marriott are among the chains reviving this promotion at select locations only.

Want to save even more? Hotels that once snubbed Hotwire are giving the website their inventory as bookings soften. Look for deals on 4-star hotels because Hotwire inflates its ratings. You may even find some steals on accommodations in elusive New York City. Some people don't like Hotwire because the site doesn't disclose where you'll stay until after you pay a non-refundable deposit. Check BetterBidding.com to vet the hotels you're likely to get and TripAdvisor.com for user-generated reviews of the hotels. Finally, try using Priceline if you're willing to do the work of bidding. Visit BiddingForTravel.com for additional resources. Clark finds that he saves about 50% on car rentals and between 30% and 45% on hotels when using Priceline or Hotwire.

If you've traveled on a full-fare airline recently, you know that you have about a one-third chance of flying what Clark calls a wind-up toy propeller plane. For many years, these smaller planes were routinely overbooked because the airlines weren't required to compensate passengers who got bumped. Now that's changing. The compensation for being bumped will apply to any flight that has more than 29 passengers. You can get a maximum of $800 in compensation, however the exact dollar amount with be based on the actual fare you paid.

The latest oil trade just reached close to $115/barrel. By the time you read this, it may have topped the $115 mark. We're also paying an all-time record high for gas, adjusted for inflation. That makes this the perfect market for low-cost luxury bus service to expand around the United States. Companies like Mega Bus, Bolt Bus and others run city-to-city throughout the Midwest, the Northeast/New England and on the West Coast. On-board amenities typically include hi-speed Internet, HDTV and comfortable seats. The Wall Street Journal reports that business is up 137% in the Midwest for one company.

So what about the price? A Washington Post reporter went from Washington D.C. to midtown Manhattan for $1.50! Of course, there are only a limited number of seats at those kinds of prices. Other seats can run up to the $20 range. But taking a plane or your car would definitely be more costly. This new breed of bus lines also attracts people out of their cars by avoiding traditional crime-ridden bus terminals. They instead pick up in high-income commercial districts and drop passengers off at other high-income areas at end of the line. The irony is that Bolt Bus is owned by that parent company that owns Greyhound. They were obviously smart enough to ditch the Greyhound reputation and go with new branding and a new fleet of buses!

The airline industry is in the midst of a transformation. Everybody knows that the public hates the travel experience. So now the inevitable question arises: Will the creation of a worldwide airline resulting from the Delta/Northwest merger (and partnership with Air France) be the answer to the public's woes? The reality is that we have 6 dysfunctional full-fare airlines and many discount ones right now. Clark hopes that mergers will create well-planned airlines, instead of unethical businesses that levy all kinds of ad hoc fees on passengers.

People, of course, want to know what the Delta/Northwest merger will mean to their wallets. Clark does not see fares going up as a result. There are so many discounters out there that competition remains alive and well for domestic travel. But it's the business travelers who are going to continue getting clobbered by the full-fares. Why? Big companies tend to do overpriced contracts with the full-fares. It's those ticket prices that are most likely to go up. For leisure travels, there should be no change.

One thing that will be changing: Frequent flyer miles will be even more worthless after the merger than they were before. Talk about Confederate money for the modern age! If you're a leisure traveler, don't chase the miles -- chase the bargains. As to the question of service, Clark actually expects it to improve. He even vows to eat a paper airplane on air 2 years from today if he's wrong!

Ultimately, you can't lose sight of the fact that deregulation made it possible for everyone to travel the world -- not just the fabulously wealthy. The airline industry's awkward adolescence in the wake of decades-old deregulation should yield stronger, more stable airlines. That's the reality of what will happen as our full-fares have to compete on the world stage against overseas airlines such as Emirates Airlines and Singapore Airlines with newer fleets and great service.

After traveling recently in Europe, Clark was reminded how expensive it can be to call back to the United States. While in Venice, Italy, he overheard an American woman telling her friend how she got ripped on calls back home. She was charged $68 for a 5-minute call to family and $10 for a 1-minute call to check her voice mail. Clark told the woman he was only paying 5.8 cents a minute and offered to let her use his cell. She probably thought he was another con artist, and she definitely didn't take him up on his offer!

So what's Clark's secret? He heeded a listener's advice and used a service called Pingo.com. There's a charge of about a dollar a month to be a customer, but the payoff is in the great rates. Clark even found an online coupon to receive bonus minutes when he first signed up. Meanwhile, Clark also has an unlocked world cell phone that he bought on eBay. He's equipped it with a SIM card from GoSIM.com that's been saving him big bucks. Remember, your wallet will be destroyed if you use your standard U.S. cellular from one of the 4 main carriers while traveling overseas.

Travelers are facing so much tumult and chaos right now. We lost 3 airlines in a little more than a week as the price of jet fuel has just eaten up the industry. The latest failure is Skybus, a copy of Europe's highly successful Ryanair. Other airlines haven't been helping to fly stranded passengers home; they're no longer required to by law. Meanwhile, the Hawaii Tourism Authority has chartered aircraft to fly stranded travelers by the 1,000s back to the mainland.

In related news, a respected study called the Airline Quality Ratings reveals that industry standards are the lowest they've ever been since the survey launched. So who did a good job in 2007? AirTran is tops, followed by JetBlue and Southwest Airlines. Who's doing the worst? In last place, the worst airline in America is US Air, followed by Delta and American.

Finally, leisure travelers will steal deal after deal this year because demand for travel is soft. Who's going to get the short end of the stick? Business travelers. With many full- fares reinstituting Saturday night stay policies, they're facing a double whammy -- Bad service and much higher fares.

Clark recently spoke about the failure of Aloha Airlines and warned how those paying for their tickets with cash or a debit card got burned. Of course, those who used a credit card are eligible to get their money back! Now another airline that frequently flew to Hawaii has failed. ATA left thousands of Hawaiians stranded on the mainland and thousands of mainlanders stranded on Hawaii -- can't really have too much sympathy for the latter group, can you? More airlines will fail if the price of oil stays high. Aloha and ATA together flew 3.5 million people from LAX to Hawaii. That has the governor of Hawaii in a panic about loss of tourist revenue.

As the economy slows, there will be bumps along the way in the travel industry -- along with some opportunities. Aloha Airlines, a full-fare airline that served Hawaii and parts of the United States, has gone out of business because it could not survive against a discount airline called go! Fares went down from about $200 one way to $49 one way because of go! We may see more full-fare failures in the industry as the discounters continue to offer appealing rates. One caveat: Those who bought their Aloha tickets with cash or a debit card (and haven't yet used them) lost their money. So be safe and only buy tickets with a credit card.

A new report finds that air travel is really softening in the United States, which means there will be great deals available. Richard Branson's V Australia opened a route between Los Angeles and Down Under and was offering a $777 roundtrip special before it sold out. Meanwhile, the open skies policy will open up new flight routes between America and Europe, which will also mean lower fares. Clark will update you again in the coming weeks on summertime travel deals to the Old World. On the domestic front, the decreasing demand for travel means airlines can't raise fares willy-nilly just because of high oil prices. So watch out for the gotchas, such as baggage-handling fees or high charges for bringing your pet onboard.

Clark is back fresh from a European family vacation that coincided with his middle child's spring break. The penny-pinching guru used frequent flyer miles and had to comb over a map of Europe and check ticket availability -- day by day and city by city -- in order to travel for free. They would up going to Venice, Italy, among other places. Clark never realized how much an 8 year old would love the picturesque canals and boats of Venice. He even sprung for that old tourist rip-off: A gondola ride for 70 Euros, which is equal to $110 U.S. dollars. Clark nearly fell in the canal when he heard that price!

The weakness of the U.S. dollar was a recurring theme throughout the trip. But there are ways to beat the slump. For example, Clark used Priceline to book the beautiful Venice Hilton for about $136/night. When you travel outside of the United States, you really have the chance to see how poorly our economy has been mismanaged. The dollar is like a Third World currency. In Switzerland, Clark and his family stopped at a McDonald's restaurant, where a Happy Meal, a combo meal and a burger and drink for his wife was $29.70! Meanwhile, there was not a bad meal to be had in Italy. Clark was even floored by the affordable and delicious food on a train between Italy and Switzerland.

Switzerland was soooo cold, and the snowflakes were the size of ping-pong balls. Clark loved visiting Lucerne, which had been the site of a massive street party when he and his staff went there a few years ago. It was difficult to explain the incredible history of the place to his child, who just wanted to catch snowflakes on her tongue! By the way, Clark got a hotel in Zurich for $85/night on Priceline. He and his family only ate out twice day instead of 3 time; they bought food at local markets for their third meal. That's another way to overcome the weak U.S. dollar when you travel abroad.

A few weeks ago, Clark told you about some trouble he had with Orbitz during a recent trip to visit his affiliates at WDBO in Orlando. After he went on the air with the story, he realized that he hit a nerve with people who have had trouble booking travel online. The Orbitz customer no service experience prompted Team Clark to take a look at Travelocity and Expedia. Clark's producer Kim had to contact Expedia 8 times to get a response. Travelocity answered promptly, but here's the sad truth about Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity: None of them have real travel agents answering the phones. They outsource customer no service across the globe to people who may have never left the borders of their own country. Why would you pay these companies a service fee to book with them when you can't get an experienced travel agent to help you?

Clark and Christa were recently in Milwaukee visiting affiliates at WTMJ. Clark was reading the Financial Times of London and there was an insert about Mauritius. That's where Clark's initial call to Orbitz was bounced. During the call, he spoke to a lovely woman with an intriguing accent who wasn't really able to help resolve his issue. That's symbolic of the problem with customer service at these online travel sites. Know that if you do book with these big outfits, they all deliver major customer no service. After all, there aren't any actual employees or actual travel agents available to help you!

Clark always talks about spending less, but here's something it might be worth to actually spend some money on. The Clear program -- which appeals to frequent travelers -- puts you through a supposed Homeland Security background check where you're fingerprinted and have a retinal scan. The cost is about $100 or so, and those who pass the screening are issued a smart card with a chip that stores your info. When you get to the airport, you pop your card in a machine, have your palm scanned and then go through an expedited security area.

The Department of Homeland Security has been reluctant to do a trusted traveler program like they do in Israeli. Clark recalls traveling from Zurich to Israel when there was a security issue with his flight. All the passengers were taken to a bunker, partially strip-searched in private rooms and all carry-ons and bags were searched. That's real security. Here we are 7 years after 9/11 and we still don't have real security. But Clark believes the Clear program is a start. It will allow TSA workers more time to deal with people who aren't in the program.

Then there's the whole question of profiling vs. legitimate questioning. In Western Europe, travelers can be interrogated repeatedly to expose behavioral tics like sweating and shifty eyes that may give away a potential terrorist. No system is perfect, but we need to be smarter about security because we're spending billions and not getting the job done. Oddly enough, it's many of the full-fare airlines that are opposed to background checks. They must have amnesia about 9/11.

One of Clark's girlfriends -- Southwest Airlines -- has strayed from her ethical behavior. The nation's largest domestic air carrier had people playing it cute with aircraft maintenance and there's no excuse for it. Southwest flew planes without properly testing them for airworthiness. Former FAA employees employed by Southwest weren't living up to the rules of inspection and the whistle got blown. The airline has now been fined $10 million, but that's nothing compared with the damage to its reputation. The reality is that Southwest will probably bounce back as a safety beacon now that it's under a microscope. The CEO has managed the situation well, but the scenario still leaves a stain behind. As an aside, Clark realizes he could never run an airline; people would assume that he'd want to cut corners on safety like Southwest because he's so cheap!

Southwest's legacy includes being one of the first airlines to prompt deregulation and create a marketplace where everyone can fly instead of just the wealthy. The result is that travel is not the joyful experience it once was. Clark is celebrating his 10th anniversary at Milwaukee affiliate WTMJ today and getting there was not a fun experience. Clark and his executive producer Christa had to wait forever to go through security and the TSA employees treated people like cattle. It just solidified in Clark's mind why airport security should be privatized.

There is a real market demand for cheap, reliable and safe city-to-city bus transportation. If you're thinking of a Greyhound terminal in a seedy part of town, boy, have things changed. Greyhound has launched a new line called Bolt Bus with 8 daily trips between Washington, D.C. and New York. Online fares start at $1 and on board amenities include free wifi. The push for cheap fares among big cities really started with bus lines running in the Washington D.C./New York/Boston corridor that were geared toward ethnic Chinese customers. There's also a European player in the game called Megabus with service in the Midwest states of Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee; and out West in Nevada and California. Any of these options offer great alternatives to flight delays and high gas prices the next time you have to move around.

Gripes about air travel are very common. But what if you could know fares and the quality of flights before you booked? That's the premise of a new website called InsideTrip.com. You can shop fares and learn about the load factor on flights, leg room, the age of the fleet, the rate of baggage loss and much more. InsideTrip.com offers Consumer Reports-type rankings with a system of little circles and a numerical ranking. The consistent No. 1 airline seems to be Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines, while United Airlines is usually the worst. Little surprise there!

Were you one of those cruise customers who got hit with a fuel surcharge fee after you booked on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity? Florida's attorney general has reached a deal to refund this rip-off surcharge to customers. The cruise industry is controlled by a small number of players who act in utter arrogance, so Clark is pleased to see this latest development. He completely supports the right of any business to jack their rates to whatever they want before a sale. But to tack on bogus fees after the fact is disgusting. While the attorney general deserves kudos, where was the FTC on this issue?

Through the years, people have had the attitude that you get what you pay for. But the opposite seems to be true among the airlines. It's a real paradox; the full fare airlines often offer less service for your dollar than the discount ones. For years, the full fares used their clout in Washington D.C. to block Virgin mogul Richard Branson's efforts to launch an airline in the U.S. market. So finally Branson reduced his role in Virgin America and now the airline is making waves on the West Coast. As with all Virgin-branded products, Virgin America offers ultra classy and extra thrifty service. He's brought elegant back to first class and near-elegant service back to coach. The Los Angeles Times is even reporting that the discount airlines are feeling the hurt from Branson's move. Look for Virgin America to expand if they're successful on the West Coast.

Need another reason why gift cards stink? Back in June, Clark was given a $25 gift certificate to an ice-cream store for his birthday. When he recently went to redeem it, the store was out of business! That's the big risk with gift cards. Similarly, Sharper Image has announced they won't be honoring gift cards as they re-organize through bankruptcy proceedings. Retail and restaurants are very sensitive to the economic slowdown, so you may see these scenarios play out elsewhere.

Mid-priced eateries are under severe pressure trying to maintain the volume of business. Several chains have begun putting glossy ads in the newspaper. BOGO offers on meals are unusual in the mid-priced sector. This trend tells Clark that the restaurant sector may face some door closures. So you may want to rethink buying that gift card at an eatery. When it comes to retailers, try to use existing gift cards before they're no good any longer. Clark and Lane have a bag full of them and are trying to use them before total depreciation.

Meanwhile, financial writer Pamela Yip has discovered that using a debit card to rent a car opens you up to a whole world of hurt. The rental counter will pull a credit report on you and drastically lower your score. Why? They're protecting themselves against auto thieves that love to use debit cards as a low-risk method to get rentals to steal. Use your real credit card instead!

Yesterday Clark revealed the customer-no-service problem he's been having with Orbitz. To recap, Clark had a hotel booked through Orbitz that proved to be a dump. So he checked in and then quickly turned right around and checked out. He then had to contact Orbitz to get his money back. Upon calling them, he went through 7 customer-no-service reps with no resolution. He also sent 2 e-mails and got no response. Then he went on the air yesterday to discuss what was going on.

Within 3 hours, he was tracked down at home by an Orbitz mucky-muck who fell all over herself trying to accommodate him because he was a premium member. Clark politely informed her there was nothing she could do to help him. He wouldn't accept a refund because they probably wouldn't have been trying to help him if he were just any John Q. Orbitz customer. The money would have been coming from unclean hands and only because of his status as a nationally syndicated radio host. In short, he values his integrity more than he values his wallet.

Clark did request that Orbitz improve its customer service experience. He and the woman had a pleasant yet tense conversation. The rep revealed that Orbitz out-sources 100% of its customer service overseas. It turns out that most major online travel sites out-source like Orbitz. Maybe that's why they all have customer service problems. He was assured that Orbitz's out-sourced reps are authorized to solve customer problems, but that definitely was not his experience as his call got bounced around all over the world with no solution.

Clark has a longstanding beef with his nephew David, who is addicted to frequent flyer mileage programs and jumps through all kinds of hoops to accumulate miles. Here's what David doesn't understand: There's an industry-wide trend of airlines devaluing frequent flyer miles. U.S. Airways is just the latest example; they're making the miles tougher to redeem and earn. Having a stockpile of miles is like having a reverse savings account -- the value leeches out of them everyday. What if you use a credit card that earns frequent flyer miles? Clark would prefer that you ditch it and get a card that pays you cash instead. With cash, there are no restrictions on when you can use it. Clark's producer Kim is one of those people conned by the mileage programs. She once redeemed miles and had to fly to the wrong city, while changing planes 2 times to get there and 2 more times to go home. That's a lot of work to take a "free" trip. So what should you do with your mileage balances? The full-fare airlines are adding international routes all the time, so look for new service announcements on their websites and jump when you get the opportunity.

The airline industry repeatedly ranks as one of the least respected in commerce. The airlines have had a tough adolescence following deregulation. They're trying to figure out what you should get for the price of your ticket. You may have heard that United Airlines is testing the waters with a $25 fee for checking more than one bag. This is part of the process of unbundling what you get when you buy a ticket. The actual product airlines offer is the kerosene to fly you from point A to point B and some semblance of a seat. Remember the old skit about Straphangers' Airline? It was a standing-room only airline where you just got a strap to hang on to like in the subway. Thankfully, nobody is proposing that yet!

Clark thinks people shouldn't be fired up at United. The cost of hiring baggage handlers is a true cost, not to mention the hassle and trust that's lost whenever a bag goes missing. From a bottom line perspective, the airline's bean counters would love it if no one could check a bag. Of course, United's flight attendants would hate having to deal with all those carry-on bags in the cabin. So you should become familiar with UPS and FedEx if there's a lot you have to take when you fly. Try shipping your stuff instead of paying the baggage charges. It's more likely to get there! Isn't it funny that the sophisticated airlines don't have the simple package-tracking capabilities that UPS and FedEx have had for years?

The United move shows that more a la carte fees are coming in the airline industry. Clark recently had to pay $1.50 for a soft drink while flying in the Hawaiian Islands. The full-fare airlines just have to be careful not to get too fee happy. The only justification for flying a full-fare was that you got full service; now that's changing and it seems like you're just paying more money than going through a discount airline.

Clark is often billed as a consumer advocate, but in some ways he's different than most others in this field because of his business background. For example, many consumer advocates are upset with President Bush over his plan to charge airlines for runway space based on peak times of arrival or departure. But Clark loves the idea. Here's the scoop: There are certain times of the day when there are no delays (barring weather or a catastrophe) at the airports. But most airlines ignore those times and instead schedule their flights around when business travelers want to leave and arrive. Over-booking that crunch time is partly what causes passengers to be stranded on the tarmac for hours at a time. Clark thinks Bush is right in saying that a runway slot at 5 p.m. is worth more than at 2 in the afternoon. The benefit of his model is that people won't have to sit on runways in queue forever.

Clark recalls a good-weather flight he took out of Newark this past summer. Take off was set for 5:45 p.m., but they didn't get off the ground until 8:15 p.m. The captain announced that they were something like 37th in queue for departure! Clark looked out the window and saw a line of planes that looked like it stretched from Newark to Hartford! So if airlines have to pay more to fly during peak hours, they'll start juggling their schedule around and alleviate the crunch. Or, those that can afford the 5 p.m. flight will take it. Either way, you let the marketplace decide who uses it at what time based on price. It's not only most consumer advocates who are against Bush's plan, but the airlines themselves. Such a plan would probably eliminate those little dippy regional jets that hold 50 people. You'll see the airlines start to run more jumbo jets because they carry more passengers for the same runway price. If Bush's plan comes to pass, Clark will be adjusting his schedule to whenever he can catch the cheapest flight!

In the past year, Clark took well in excess of 100 flights and had almost no problems with delays or other horrors that routinely plague travelers. He never checks a bag, so he never has to deal with lost luggage. Discount airlines and full fares alike had meltdowns in 2007. Everyone remembers the American Airlines fiasco, but JetBlue, Skybus and United also went on the fritz. JetBlue responded by creating its own Passenger Bill of Rights that is the best in the world, according to Clark. But this is an arrogant industry and many others have been slow to embrace the idea of putting the customer first. New York recently passed its own air travel protection act for flights leaving or arriving in the state. Airlines at JFK are required to provide water, refreshments and clean toilets if passengers are stranded on the tarmac for 3 hours. Many of the full fare airlines went to court to fight this act. Thankfully they lost. Here's Clark's take: If the full fares want to move business operations to a third-world country where there are no working toilets and clean water, go right ahead. But this is America and here we have first-rate standards of hygiene. Now when will Congress get around to passing its own comprehensive Passenger Bill of Rights??

Note: Clark is broadcasting remotely for his Christmas Kids 2007 initiative. You can donate online.

Clark's executive producer Christa is back from her Bahamas vacation. She and her family stayed at a timeshare where they got a great deal. Of course, they had to get pitched on the sale of a timeshare as part of the deal. But by bringing her 2 year old son to the pitch, she was able to expedite things! Meanwhile, Clark's latest travel story involves the hoops he had to jump through to his redeem frequent flyer miles. Clark had 1 million miles through Continental Airlines' One Pass program; 500,000 from American Airlines; 400,000 through Delta; and smaller amounts on a variety of other airlines. He used every trick in the book to find a Clark Smart way to redeem them. So now he and his family will be flying coach to Venice, Italy, and returning from Zurich, Switzerland, in business class. It only took him 2.5 hours to nail down the itinerary! If you're flying domestically, try redeeming your frequent flyer miles for first class tickets, not coach. That may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes it's easier. One final thought: Stop using your airline frequent flyer credit card! Frequent flyer milers are like fool's gold. Get a card that gives a cash dividend.

There's a lawsuit in California right now that's concerned with junk fees not being revealed until after you get to the car rental counter. This makes Internet comparison shopping very difficult. The lowest price you see online may be fake because it doesn't reflect junk fees. With airfare, the actual price is usually about 20 percent higher than the advertised price. What kind of junk fees are most common? For air travel, the passenger facility charge (PFC) is a biggie. This is where the terminal charges you for walking their halls -- a completely bogus charge that they convinced Congress to approve. Then you have a charge per flight segment, a federal security service charge and others. When Clark rents a car, the junk fees are sometimes higher than the price for the car itself. Rental companies charge a fee for the rent they pay at an airport. In fact, local governments see out-of-town business travelers who rent cars as sitting ducks for being taxed without representation. On the hotel front, you need to know if there are any daily facility fees before you book. The reality is that the pricing environment is unfair, and there's not a lot you can do about it. So your job when shopping is to know what the ultimate price will be before you book. Expedia does good job at showing the base rate and then what you will really pay.

There's been much talk about the possibility of a merger between two full-fare airlines: Delta and United. We have about a half-dozen full fare companies, while there are many more smaller discount airlines working the skies. One out of every 3 flights in the United States is on a discount player, and Southwest Airlines is one of the largest. So we have a situation where the industry can't profitably support 6 full fare airlines. Keep in mind that companies almost never merge out of strength -- they do it out of weakness to avoid becoming unprofitable.

Clark has been interviewed extensively about the merger news and there's one question he's faced repeatedly: Will the union of Delta and United drive fares up? The answer is no. Business travelers will soon be able to use inexpensive private jet companies that fly directly to destinations many of the full fare airlines would not. Meanwhile, don't look for an answer to the Delta/United merger question in six months; Clark thinks we could be discussing this question 5 years down the road. Mergers of this size require the skills of real diplomats -- it's difficult to get two different sets of employees to mesh. When two companies tie the knot, there's no honeymoon in an airline marriage. As an aside, Clark was recently in a meeting where he was asked about Spirit Airlines. It seems that Spirit charges for everything when you fly. So Clark put on his best poker face and told a few people that you have to pay a dollar to use the bathrooms on the plane. They believed him! Boy, does he feel sorry about having pulled their legs!

Singapore Airlines undertook a historic flight today when the A380 -- the largest commercial aircraft ever built -- made its inaugural flight from Singapore to Sydney, Australia. The airline auctioned all the seats for charity, and some people paid more that $100,000 per ticket! A Chicago Tribune reporter filed live in-flight reports during the trip. First class passengers enjoyed their own rooms with a full-sized bed, designer sheets, china, crystal and more. The average first class ticket price on a regular flight will be $22,000. But both business class and coach seats offer much more legroom than the 747 -- previously the largest commercial aircraft. Clark remembers when the 747 went into service in the late '60s. The original ones even had a piano bar up in the front that was quickly replaced by extra seating. Flight is an amazing thing that still intrigues Clark. He's visited every continent except Antarctica -- there are never any bargains going there! When Clark's father passed away in 1988, it was his last wish to fly on the Concord. Clark, of course, has never flown the Concord because it's too expensive.

When it comes to buying a second home or a vacation home, it's best to know the cycles of the market where you want to buy. There are certain times of year that are better to buy than others -- and it's all based on your desired location. The best times of year are generally the opposite of peak season. For example, try looking between the summer and the fall if you want a vacation home in a mountain state that has winter ski activity. But conversely, midwinter is the best time to buy in the Great Lakes, the Northeast or Canada; hardly anyone else will be looking and you may meet up with a desperate seller. So if there's a particular lake, ski resort, beach or mountain that you want to own on, study the rhythms of the local market and know when to strike. Knowing the calendar could save you tens of thousands of dollars.

It's been 28 years since Clark checked in a suitcase when he was traveling on a plane. That was 1979. Clark doesn't like the process of watching the carousel go 'round and 'round and hoping to see your bag. He was recently on a flight where the attendant had a sense of humor and announced, "You can claim your bags on carousel whatever and they should be there by tomorrow." The loss rate of baggage has more than doubled over the past few years. In fact, people now ship their luggage via UPS in advance of their trip to ensure it gets to where they're going. Some ultra high-end hotels now are used to getting UPS packages with people's belongings; they even hang their clothes up in the closet before they arrive. Clark and his wife both used carry-on luggage when they went to Montana recently. His wife was able to fit her cowboy boots, several pairs of shoes and eight days worth of clothes in her carry-on. If you do decide to check in luggage the next time you travel, be sure you don't pack anything the airlines deem to be valuable or they won't cover it in the event of a loss. So don't check in jewelry, electronics, computers or medication that you need on a daily basis. Always keep one change of clothing in your carry-on in the event that your luggage is lost. And bear in mind that you're also allowed to bring a computer bag or purse in addition to a standard carry-on case.

During Clark's recent trip to Montana, he was talking with a waiter who is engaged to a Peruvian woman and went down to Peru to meet her family. The waiter found that his cell phone worked in Peru so he used it as he normally would. When he got back to the U.S., he had a cell-phone bill of $800/day! Clark just discovered a service called MAXroam.com that could have helped the waiter. MAXroam sells a SIM chip that's compatible with unlocked T-Mobile and AT&T world phones -- it doesn’t work with Verizon or Sprint phones. You just put the chip in the back of your phone, and then you can travel anywhere in the world and enjoy rates that are about one-fifteenth of what U.S. companies charge you overseas. Please note that you have to be 90 days into your contract with T-Mobile to get them to unlock your phone, while AT&T requires you to have completed your initial contract. If you're in the market for a world phone, check eBay and try to get one for about $50.

Clark also provided an update about his FCC inquiry regarding AT&T's compliance with the $10 DSL deal. AT&T is contractually bound to provide $10/month DSL for customers in a 22-state region as part of its takeover of Bell South. But the problem is that AT&T keeps unethically hiding the deal on its website. Clark asked the FCC to look into this, but they didn't give him a straight answer. Later this year, AT&T will be required to offer naked DSL. Let's see if they're more forthcoming with that deal.

Clark and his wife recently took a trip to Montana with another couple. Why Montana? Because the tickets were on sale and it was a great airfare deal. Clark loves the beauty of our country's entire mountain state region. He and his wife got to do so many wonderful outdoor activities, including fly-fishing, hiking and horseback riding. The latter was done at the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, which is owned by Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. Clark and his wife also had a great time in Yellowstone Park, where they saw bighorn sheep, buffalo (aka bison), grizzly bears, coyote, prong-horn antelope, moose, whitetail deer and elk. In fact, Clark was just a scant 270 yards away from a grizzly at one point! He also enjoyed seeing one of Ted Turner's ranches, which had buffalo by the millions. The ranch's scenery reminded him of the film A River Runs Through It. Look for pictures from the trip on the site soon!

Of course Clark had to fly to get to Montana. So many people are upset at the airlines and their recent mistreatment of passengers -- including leaving them stranded on the tarmac without food, water or clean toilets. And talk about the delays! Clark was recently at Newark Airport waiting to flying to Atlanta and his flight had to taxi around for longer than the actual flight time. Congress is holding hearings on the over-scheduling problem, but the solution needs to economic. Why not charge airlines higher landing fees if they insist on creating runway gridlock by over-scheduling multiple flights for business travelers? Maybe that would encourage them to spread their flights out and reduce the crunch.

It's no surprise that air travel delays are the worst they've ever been since recordkeeping began. Instead of addressing the problem, both the industry and Washington D.C. are pointing fingers at each other. The real issue here is that our air traffic control system dates back nearly 50 years ago to when Clark was in grammar school. This is one of the biggest reasons why we have so many delays -- we are using technology that predates computers and satellites! And isn't it ironic that our country is a beacon of free enterprise, yet the Federal Aviation Administration is government run? Business Week recently did a cover story about the political realities of why the FAA has its hands tied. We need to follow the lead of other countries and privatize the FAA, while charging the National Transportation Safety Board with the responsibility of making sure everything runs smoothly. Alaska Airlines is a great example of the independent use of modern technology to allow better landings, less delays, increased safety and improved fuel efficiency. Finally, Clark thinks the full-fare airlines have to stop dedicating so much energy to destroying private plane operators like DayJet and POGO that are competing with them for high-end business travelers. That would go a long way to help freeing up more resources to address the time delay problem.

There's good news and bad news on the passport front. The good news is that the state department finally has processed the backlog of passport applications that fouled up so many hopeful travelers. The bad news is that it took about $700 million in extra taxpayer dollars to do so. The state department had to bring in employees who are normally stationed abroad and provide temporary housing and per diem salaries so they could work 12 hours/day playing catch-up. Clark says now is the time to apply for a passport because most people won't begin doing so again until March. The projections for next year suggest that the demand for passports will be double what it was this year. So get in early and you won't have to pay an expedited fee or worry about if you're passport will arrive in time for your travel plans. When you apply for your passport, try to have your passport picture taken at a warehouse club where you'll get a great price. Be sure you also have your original birth certificate or a certified copy with you when you apply. If you're getting a passport for your child, both parents have to be present; if that's not possible, download a statement of consent for the absent parent and have it notarized.

Clark goes nuts when he has to wait at a red light when there's no traffic in sight. It drives him bonkers that in 2007 we're still not using advanced transportation management techniques on a large scale. "Smart" lights -- which sense the flow of traffic and allow lights to stay green for longer if there are no cars around -- are one example of advanced transportation management. Not having more "smart" lights leads to wasted fuel and air pollution, as motorists unnecessarily sit at red lights when they could safely be traveling.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that the city of Orlando is getting ready to spend $10 million to install "smart" traffic signals, plus a staffed bunker to monitor traffic following major concert and sports events. The staffers will help keep the lights green as needed to prevent buildup. This move will ultimately save a fortune. Of course, you don't want to be that unlucky motorist who comes up on a side street when the people in the bunker are trying to improve traffic flow on a major road. Orlando also plans to put signage on surface streets telling motorists where to go when there are traffic tie-ups. These simple techniques are great for tourist areas where there's already a lot of traffic. Florida also frequently alleviates traffic by building overpasses at the intersections of busy surface streets, not just freeways.

The airlines are behaving so badly these days. Continental is often thought of as delivering the best customer service, yet something might be going wrong judging from the slew of recent horror stories Clark's been hearing. First there was the tale of Continental's sewage-filled flight from Europe to New Jersey. Apparently there was a malfunctioning toilet that wasn't fixed before takeoff. It spilled raw sewage up and down the aisles all across the Atlantic. The company's response to that incident was lame at best.

Now there's been another Continental snafu that's caught Clark's attention. This one concerns a passenger revolt that took place on a grounded Continental flight, and it was first reported in The Baltimore Sun. About two weeks ago, a flight from Venezuela to Newark, N.J., was diverted to Baltimore because of bad weather. Once the plane touched ground, it sat on the tarmac for five to seven hours. Worse still, the passengers had no food, no water and no working toilets or toilet paper. So some travelers began rhythmically clapping their hands in protest while others beat out an accompaniment on the overhead bins. The unrest caused the pilot to radio the police, who put the passengers in a hallway with what some have called an "attack dog." Continental doesn't even deny the facts. The airline only says that the airport couldn't make proper arrangements. But the airport denies this version of the story. What this all points to is the need for a federal passenger bill of rights that guarantees food, water and working toilets during a delay, plus the provision that after a plane is delayed for three hours on the tarmac the passengers will be brought back to the terminal. So far only JetBlue has even come close with its own passenger bill of rights that promises to pay customers if there are any delays.

Back in the dinosaur days, Clark used to be a travel agent. For a while it looked like travel agents themselves were going the way of the dinosaur, but recently Clark was surprised to read in the NY Times that travel agencies are starting to grow again. When airlines stopped offering commissions on ticket sales with the advent of the internet, it was assumed they wouldn't be needed anymore. But it turns out this industry won't be affected as much as predicted, because people have discovered that when the chips are down, the internet can't help you. Travel agents are there, though, because they work for you. 64 million people per year are booking with travel agents. Depending on the trip, it just may be worth an extra $20 to book with an agent -- you'll have to make that call. But with international travel, especially, agents can often find deals you can't find yourself. You could save you more than you spend on their commission. However, if you're going on a cruise, Clark always recommends you book it with an experienced agent, since there are so many traps there.

Not very long ago, Clark mentioned that people from the United States are now going to Mexico for dental care. That discussion sparked some unfriendly response. Now London's Financial Times has done a report about the medical tourism trend. People are going overseas to Thailand and India to save money on surgeries. The number of Americans going overseas is rising 20 percent per year, according to the report. The savings can be extraordinary -- up to 75 percent. The big question is, "What kind of care will you get overseas?" While the quality does vary, many third-world countries have first-rate hospitals that cater to foreigners. The Financial Times reports that Singapore is the best place to go for overseas medical care that is roughly equal to American care. You'll still save substantial amounts there -- up to 50 percent off -- and have a private nurse for 24 hours a day. While Clark admits that he is a medical idiot, he does believe that if you are grappling with the cost issue alone you should consider this option. There are now medical tourism businesses that handle accommodations, finding doctors and all the other logistics of getting care abroad. Be sure to vote in our new poll when you visit our homepage and tell us what you think about this emerging trend!

It's a great time to vacation at the beach -- not just because it's summertime, but because it's really a renter's market right now. Many owners are stuck with second homes on the water they can't use. So they're trying to rent them in the summer market at deep discounts. The Boston Globe recently reported that Cape Cod is now a great renter's market. For years the Cape has been a notoriously hard place to find a decently priced rental. But now due to the lack of people willing to rent, owners are offering their places at discounts of up to 20 percent. Just be aware if you're going to do a summer rental up north that the beach season there is shorter than it is elsewhere.

So what's the best way to take advantage of this soft market for rentals? Clark recommends a website called Vacation Rentals by Owner. As the name suggests, it helps you rent directly from owners -- whether it's a home, condo, cabin, villa or apartment! For extra value, be sure to look at "fill in the gap" deals where you rent accommodations that are available in between other renters. But be wary of pictures supplied by the owner. Photography can cover up a lot of sins, as Clark says. He recalls when he was in the travel business and someone showed him a brochure with a picture of a hotel next to a picture of a beach that was nowhere near the hotel! Meanwhile, if you're renting an older property, look to see that it's been renovated within the last three years. And don't be shy about asking for more pictures from the owner. What you get initially may be misleading, so watch out!

There is a meltdown underway within Northwest Airlines. Each day their problems get worse and worse. Northwest has been canceling huge amounts of flights, upwards of 10%. Pilots are allowed to fly only a certain amount of hours in a month and Northwest doesn't have enough pilots. This means at some points in the month, they don't have enough pilots to fly their airplanes. If your flight is going to be canceled by Northwest you want to push them to book you on another airline. If you don't, you could be stranded somewhere for a long time. Don't bother using the phone to reach them either because they won't answer. Try using the web and don't get stranded.

Clark has talked in the past about the horrible treatment of airline passengers over the past few months. On at least four occasions, passengers were basically held hostage on planes or left abandoned in airports because the airlines didn’t have their acts together. United, American and JetBlue have all been exposed. So, the idea of having a passenger “Bill of Rights” has come up again. Congress is meeting this week to discuss the possibility of establishing a written code of conduct for airlines. Well, it’s not that hard to do. JetBlue created its own “Customer Bill of Rights” after its debacle last year. The document says what they’ll do if there is a delay, an overbooking or a stranding. It also outlines what you will be paid for this. For example, if you are delayed on arrival for an hour or more you get $100. If it’s two or more hours, you get a voucher for future travel or $100. And, three or more hours gets you a free round-trip ticket anywhere. Clark thinks more people need to follow in JetBlue’s footsteps. It’s really pretty simple. Tell people what you are going to do if you mess up.

Have you heard of easycruise.com? Clark is a big proponent of traveling by sea – instead of air – when getting around Europe. The company charges ultra cheap fares on very basic cruises. For example, a week on a cruise around the Greek islands is $200 on easycruise.com. Think about how much it would cost to stay in a hotel for a week in Europe. But this is your accommodation and your transportation. When you think about travel in Europe, keep easycruise in the back of your mind.

The cruise industry is struggling these days. The industry just wants to cover the most basic expenses in what they charge you for the room. That’s because the real money is made once you get on board. Shore excursions, drinking and gambling are just a few of the activities that will cost you much more on a cruise. But, with all the bad press of late, people aren’t cruising. As a result, companies are heavily discounting cabin costs. Ten-night Caribbean cruises are as cheap as $75 a night, according to the Miami Herald. Ocean-view rooms are minimally more for ten-day and weeklong cruises. So, if you’ve never been on a cruise, this could be your chance. If you’ve never gone on a cruise and have minimal knowledge of the industry, you may want to pay a bit more and sit down with a cruise travel agent. If you’ve been before, have at it. For more information and to hear beefs from other cruisers, check out cruisecritic.com. You’ll get an earful.

How empowered would you feel if you were trapped in an aluminum tube and you couldn’t get off? You are basically a prisoner for nine hours and given no food or water. Then, without explanation, you’re let go. That happened to JetBlue passengers a few weeks ago. A similar story occurred on American Airlines a few weeks before, when people were stranded on 120 airplanes. The difference is that JetBlue’s executives have apologized profusely and have even created their own passenger Bill of Rights. American has done nothing. Under current law, they don’t have to. Airlines are within their rights to hold you prisoner because of any reason it sees fit. In Europe, airlines must pay for meals, hotels and they give customers a compensation check. Sometimes, costs are as much as $750. Wouldn’t you know that European airlines have figured out how to prevent these mishaps? And, they’re making money to boot. It’s time for the American Congress to pass some kind of legislation and stop giving into the airline lobbyists wishes.

Some people prefer driving because they don’t like to fly. But, overwhelmingly, people fly when traveling long distances. As you’ve probably heard, Delta and Northwest are “in talks” regarding a merger. Delta did not respond well to the America West/US Air offer, and Clark agrees that would have been a bad idea. America West hasn’t run its own airline very well, so swallowing up Delta would be a nightmare. If Delta and Northwest come together, however, it would be a very powerful airline. Some reports have said it would be detrimental to consumers, but that is not true at all. Fares won’t change. In fact, it may spark even more mergers, which would decrease fares even more. The only way you might get hurt is in the frequent flier realm. So, if you have miles, use them!

Clark admits that he’s willing to accept lower quality for a cheaper price. As a result, people often tell him that he’ll “get what he pays for.” But isn’t it great when you pay a lower price AND you get a better product or service. It happens right now in the airline industry. Several studies from academic institutions and private firms show that people get better service from the discount airlines. According to J.D. Power & Associates, JetBlue was head and shoulders above any other airline. Close behind were Southwest, AirTran and Frontier. Then, the gap behind Frontier and the full-fare airlines was huge. Continental was the only one anywhere close to the discount airlines. What were the airlines evaluated on? Scheduling, check-in and in-flight amenities were a few of the categories. Airline fares was not one of the categories. So, despite the low rates, the discount airlines were better overall. Employees at Southwest make more money than those at the full fare airlines, which speaks to the management. When there is good profit and good morale, it’s usually because of small, efficient management. Clearly, the full-fare airlines need to catch a clue on how to run a business.

Caribbean cruises are the weak spot in the industry right now, and it could mean great deals for you. Onboard fires, outbreaks of sickness and crimes onboard are part of the negative publicity that cruises have gotten. Some people will get scared off by this. But those who aren’t bothered by this will get a steal. Summertime is a more pricey time in the cruise industry. So, a 7-night cruise to the Caribbean in June, July and August will be $600 to $800. But as soon as Labor Day hits, you’ll find cruises in the $400 range. And many will give cabin upgrades and other spiffs. So why is September cheaper? First of all, there are hurricanes and that scares people. But more importantly, the kids are back in school. Alaska cruises, especially, will be hot, with prices in the $600 range. That is a great deal. Also consider a cruise between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are great deals around this time.

Clark gives you the facts from the lastest airline satisfaction survey. The results may surprise you. Hear it now!. Don't foreget to disable your pop-up blocker first.

If you want to take a vacation, there is no better time. Because of the labor unrest and bankruptcy situations at Delta and Northwest, these companies are having trouble selling seats to business travelers. When an airline is having trouble business travelers do what’s called “booking away,” meaning they look for other airlines to fly even if it’s less convenient. As a result, those two airlines are discounting fares for vacation travelers. Of course, with these great deals, there is always the chance that the airline could go belly up and you’re stuck with a ticket. So, it’s important to know how to play the game. If you are a nervous traveler, don’t buy vacation travel on either of these two airlines. But if you roll with the punches, go for it. Just be sure to buy that ticket on a credit card. You are offered protection and can at least dispute the charge that way. And don’t buy tickets that coincide with a cruise you’ve booked or are planning to take. That’s just not smart. Also, if you’re at your destination and the airline shuts down, other airlines are required to carry you on a standby basis.

About year and a half ago, Clark talked about a discount cruise line that started up in Europe called EasyCruise. The company does Mediterranean cruises at about a fifth of what they would normally cost. And the company is now sailing in the Caribbean, with stops in spots like St. Lucia, Barbados and Martinique. The costs are per night/per cabin and some nights are as cheap as $12 a night. That’s for two people sharing a cabin! Most cruises cost at least $100 per person, per night. These are very basic ships with the noticeable orange everywhere. And food and drink are not included. But if you want to visit these destinations and stay for less, this is your ticket. You have a floating hotel room just offshore in areas where rooms normally cost outrageous amounts. You are at port for 21 hours and then you mosey on to the next spot. EasyCruise will be docked in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, in addition to its Mediterranean ports, according to recent news reports. There are also Easy flights, hotel rooms, Internet cafes and cell phone deals.

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.

Are you planning to go visit family members for the holidays? If so, you’ve probably seen that ticket prices have increased quite a bit for the holidays this year. Most sources say prices are up between 25 and 30 percent compared to the rest of the year. Christmas and New Year’s are both on Sundays this year, so prices are extra pricey. When those holidays fall on a Tuesday through Friday, airfare is much more affordable. Fares to Florida are going to be extra high and hard to get, despite the fact that many airlines in Florida are now discounters. So, is it hopeless? No! You can still find deals, especially if you can be flexible on your travel days. As for Thanksgiving, flying on either Thanksgiving Day, or the Friday or Saturday after is the way to go. If you’re not planning to be with family this year, the holidays are a great time to visit convention cities and business centers. San Francisco, Dallas, Boston, Washington D.C. and Atlanta are all great deals the week between Christmas and New Year’s. No matter where you go or what you do, remember that baggage rules have changed. Airlines now weigh everything because they make a ton of money on overweight baggage. So, weigh your luggage beforehand and make sure it’s within the airline’s guidelines.

One of Clark’s all-time favorite airlines is going away. Song, a discount subsidiary of Delta, will only be in the air for another couple months. The airline had a great hip factor with its colorful planes, televisions in seatbacks and comfortable seating. Clark enjoyed each of his trips on the airline. But Song was a distraction for Delta, which is now in bankruptcy. At the same time, discounters are adding planes left and right and are growing exponentially. Discount airlines now sell 30 percent of all airline seats sold out there. They’re headed to “owning” the entire business.

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In other airline news, the trend of electronic tickets and online check-in is exploding. Continental Airlines reports that 85 percent of its passengers now check in online. The idea of e-tickets was started by Morris Air, which originated in Salt Lake City, and was bought by Southwest Airlines. The man who started the company also started JetBlue. It’s saving the companies ton of money and passengers a ton of time. Also, remember to be careful how much baggage you bring on during the holidays. You may want to mail gifts via FedEx ground or UPS and insure them. It will save you a lot of time and money in fees if you bring too many bags.

You’ve heard the news about Delta filing for Chapter 11, but what does it mean to you. Although most of the news has concerned the effect on individuals, Delta’s bankruptcy will also influence businesses. People just want to know what happens. So, Clark is here to tell you that nothing happens. Airlines have had a long history of seeking compensation and protection from bills when they file for bankruptcy. This is just another chapter. If you’re holding flights on Northwest or Delta, your flights are fine. The only caveat is that holiday travel can be severely disrupted when an airline files for bankruptcy. So, Thanksgiving and Christmas this year may be tough. It’s common for airlines to eliminate 15 to 20 percent of their aircraft when it happens. So Clark recommends reconfirming your schedule a month and then a week before you go. You should also break your addiction to using Delta’s and Northwest’s frequent flyer programs cards. You never know what could happen with these programs, so stop trying to earn miles. If you have miles, use them! Also, people are speculating that Delta could be absorbed by bankrupt Northwest. But that is pure speculation. Employees are going to get eaten alive. There will be paycuts and layoffs, just as there were at USAir and United. This is the unfortunate part. Employees always get hit the worst. But for consumers, it will simply mean better service. Just don’t buy into the speculation about buying stocks. The stocks are worthless, and that is just bad advice. Clark hopes the employees of the companies end up okay, but it’s going to be tough before it gets easy.

The current strike at Northwest Airlines is a great example of the changes happening in the airline industry. The airline has done something unprecedented by breaking up the union responsible for the mechanics and cleaning of the planes. Anytime one of these unions has gone on strike the airline has shut down. But Northwest wasn’t having it. The company kept flying even though it spent about $20 million to break the strike. It’s the clearest sign yet that the American people control what happens in the airlines. Consumers have taken a stand about how much they want to pay and airlines are finally listening. The downside is that workers are negatively affected. Employees either take a massive pay cut or they lose their jobs. But the airline has reduced its prices in order to stay in business, and it’s worked. The consumer is winning out. The FAA is monitoring how planes are being maintained, which is good from a safety feature. But when no one expected Northwest to fly through the strike, it did. It means eventually there will be no distinction between “full-fare” airlines and “discount” airlines. Ultimately, all airlines will have to reduce their prices or go belly up.

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.

A lot of people have been asking Clark about airline stocks lately, especially the stocks of companies that are in jeopardy of going bankrupt. For stockholders, the picture is pretty grim. If a company files for bankruptcy, the stockholders get nothing. That’s what you need to remember. Employees also are in for a tough time if an airline files for bankruptcy. They could end up making a lot less money because the bankruptcy proceedings eat into a company’s profits. For customers, a bankruptcy doesn’t mean anything negative, and could, in fact, mean something good. The deals could be tremendous. Just remember not to buy tickets with a debit card, or fake Visa or Mastercard, as Clark likes to call them. If a company goes under, you have no chargeback rights to get your money back.

Clark has talked to Caroline several times about her thwarted vacation to Playa Del Carmen near Cancun. She had booked a vacation package with Aeromexico Vacations several months ago. But since the hurricanes have hit the area, the resort where she was going to stay was destroyed. Well, Aeromexico Vacation reps first told Caroline she was out of luck and had to take the trip even though she had no place to stay. Well, Clark thought that was unacceptable and heartless. But after he talked about it on the air, Aeromexico Vacations has recanted and is going to allow Caroline to take her trip later on or get a full refund. In fact, the airline has established a new policy for anyone affected by an emergency that causes a hotel to close. Basically, anyone affected can book a subsequent vacation through Dec. 15 or they can receive a full refund for the cost of the trip. It’s a more generous offer than Clark could have hoped for and he wants to praise Aeromexico for going out on a limb for its customers. He hopes other companies take a page from their book by treating customers with respect and courtesy.

Airport security hasn’t really improved in the four years since the terrorist attacks. The TSA was established and airports hired government-employed screeners. It’s caused a very haphazard and inconsistent level of service and screening system. First of all, we need the kind of training that other countries require. Secondly, we need to implement ideas such as “Trusted Traveler” programs. Passengers are screened before they check in through eye scans and fingerprint tests. Orlando International Airport is experimenting with that kind of program now. People who are given the green light basically get a pass and can move through security and through the airport much quicker. Boston, Reagan-National, Houston and LAX are also experimenting with small scale versions of these programs. In addition, the TSA is going through a transformation and more tasks are being turned over to a private contractor. This is a great thing, in Clark’s opinion. To find out more flyclear.com.

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In other travel news, Northwest employees seem detemined to strike at some time this fall. Clark thinks that after Labor Day, it could happen. So, if you're a traveler with a ticket on Northwest, Clark wants you to be aware. The odds of a settlement are not good.

Transportation has changed so much since Clark was a kid, and the industry will continue to morph as his kids turn into adults. Clark remembers when it was a privilege to fly on an airplane, and prices were outrageous. The next era of air transportation is going to be personal aircrafts for entrepreneurs and other people. NASA has put a lot of money into changing how air travel works, according to the New York Times. Private contractors are competing for grants, for example, to provide technology for private planes and to make air traffic control much safer. At the same time, we’re seeing lower cost air service. One service is called SATS Air, which is basically an air taxi with a parachute. If an engine goes out on the plane, it won’t crash because the parachute helps the plane land safely. It costs $350 a flight hour and you can take three people with you. So, it’s not too pricey, and it’s spur-of-the-moment travel. The Eclipse is another personal aircraft that is actually a jet. It costs just over $1 million, which many of us laugh at. But it’s becoming more and more realistic for some people. Mark your calendar today and see what happens five years from now.

The expression “you get what you pay for” is not always true. J.D. Power & Associates, which researches car quality and other industries, has released a survey about the nation’s airlines. J.D. Power rated airlines on things such as check-in, reservations, in-flight treatment and how well the plane performed and looked. There was one airline that came out way above the rest - JetBlue. No other airline was anywhere near JetBlue in customer service. The company is also adding aircraft faster than any other airline in the country. Typically, when a company grows, the less concerned with customers it gets. But that is not happening with JetBlue. In fact, the company has added more legroom in the back of the plane, giving passengers an incentive to sit there. In addition, each seatback comes equipped with satellite TV and the prices on this discount airline are great. SouthWest took 2nd place, and No. 3 was Delta, the only full-fare airline in the top five. Alaska Airlines was No. 4 and AirTran was No. 5. The bottom of the barrel was Northwest at #11. Northwest got the worst scores in all categories, and the company is evidently none too pleased. But apparently the less you pay, the better the service - sometimes.

The Early Show on CBS decided to try out one of those ultra cheap vacation promotions to see how legitimate they really are. The reporter called and bought the trip, which was supposed to be a mere couple hundred dollars. It ended up costing her $1,300. And, she had to pay $400 extra for peak season, even though it was off-season. She was promised she’d get a 4-star hotel, yet she had no A/C and cigarette burns on the beds. The company that sold her the trip, TravelCom, would not talk to CBS on camera. But the company has very low ratings with the Better Business Bureau. These deals are not new and they should not fool you! They have existed for years and should be stopped. In the case if the Early Show reporter, Florida failed in its responsibility to protect citizens. And, it's not the first time. Whenever you get a pitch from anyone about how you’ve won a free vacation, throw it in the trash!

What do you think about the airlines eliminating free snacks and meals on flights? Apparently, some people really want their pretzels. Northwest still provides free soft drinks, but it has decided to eliminate free pretzels on domestic flights. And, people are up in arms. The Detroit News has found “overwhelming opposition” to this move. Delta decided to start selling food on flights and found that it cost them more money. So, the company went back to offering snacks. Think about this concept. When you take a train, you don’t get free snacks. And, if you’ve ever flown a European airline, you get nothing for free. It’s fine with those travelers. They pay less for the flight as a result. So, Clark thinks it’s silly that people are upset over this. You’re paying for the transportation, not the free treats. Just bring your own food on board, or eat before you travel.

Two airlines, US Air and America West, are merging into one company, which will be called US Air. Clark thinks this is the airline industry’s biggest surprise in years because both companies have been bankrupt and saved by government bailouts. The companies hope to set up a coast-to-coast airline product, even though they are turning planes into the bankruptcy courts. Clark believes this merger is part of an evolution of discount airlines. The new US Air hopes to offer reliable transportation at cheap rates. Clark believes there is nothing but cheap transportation rates awaiting the public in the future.

You’ve probably heard of bereavement fares, right? These are the supposedly “discounted” fares people pay when a loved one dies or is about to die and the relative must find a flight to the funeral or deathbed. We all know that bereavement fares are a huge ripoff, though. Clark thinks we need a viable solution for this shameful situation. But a recent ‘solution” proposed by the Feds may just create more of a problem than already exists in Clark’s opinion. A bill percolating in the U.S. Senate would force the nation’s airlines to sell the lowest priced tickets to people who can prove they are going to a funeral. It sounds like a good idea. But when the government interferes in the free market, things often turn out worse. The idea came about because someone in the Senate was charged a very hefty fee to attend a funeral at the last minute. The senator took action and now has gotten Congress to do away with this law. But Clark doesn’t think we need a heavy hand from Washington to take care of this problem. People simply need to look around for other fares in different cities and give their business to one of the discounters. Discounters now charge about one-fourth of what full fare airlines charge on a bereavement fare. So, take just a couple of minutes to search discounters even when you are grieving. Check out travel from other airports and other days. It’s the little changes that make a difference in airfare. Capitalism will take care of this problem.

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.

A lot of people travel by air this time of year, and it’s the only time of year that they do. The airport can be a very confusing place for these people. So Clark wants to give them some guidelines. First of all, many people take everything but the kitchen sink when they don’t travel much. But the hassle of taking more than you need is not worth it. Take only what you need when flying. You will shave off tons of time and frustration dealing with lines and waiting for your bags. Try to get everything into a 22-inch bag. That way you can carry it on and don’t have to check it. Clark takes a 22-inch bag even when traveling on multi-week trip. If there is no way you can squeeze everything into one bag, pack a smaller carry-on with your medicines, valuables and at least one outfit. Check the other bag if you can’t carry it on too. Then, if your main bag gets lost, you have your medicines, jewelry, camera and a change of clothes. Remember that airlines will not cover you if anything of value is stolen, so keep it with you. Secondly, United is experimenting with a baggage check-in charge at airports. United charges $2 per bag that you check nowadays. Airlines also charge if bags exceed the weight limit for the plane. Those can be very expensive, sometimes more than the airline ticket itself. So, how early should you get to the airport? The TSA has information on its Web site about how long people are waiting in line at airports. If you’re checking bags, you want to check wait times over the past month and gauge how long you’ll be waiting. Look at the wait time for your day and time and add an hour. If you are not checking bags, look at the longest wait for your day and time and add 45 minutes. Also, if you can, check in online. You avoid so much hassle that way. You can check in online, even if you are checking a bag. Just bring the bag to the online kiosk area of the ticketing area and someone will have a baggage claim ticket already for you. If your flight is canceled, get on your cell phone and call the airline. Try to rebook the flight. If there are no seats on that airline's flights, ask for a seat on another airline. Most airlines have agreements with other companies that allow you to travel on any airline with availability. And please be polite. You won't get very far by screaming at anyone.

If you travel frequently or even occasionally, get ready for some new rules at airport security. The Transportation Security Administration has been under serious pressure to move people through security more quickly, after complaints of six-hour waits in Las Vegas and other airports. As a result, security has gotten a bit looser. But after the terrorist attacks on Russian airplanes, the screening procedures are going to get much more strict. Many people have learned to dress more casually when going through airport security. Some wear as few clothes as possible. Others wear beltless pants, button-free shirts and bras with no underwire, in an effort to avoid being pulled aside. Clothing manufacturers are even designing clothes that will not set alarms off in airports. Unfortunately, airports are starting more “second screening” procedures such as pat downs and body searches. So, having this special clothing may not matter. More and more people will be pulled aside and screened regardless of whether you set off the alarm. Also, anything you are carrying – such as a laptop or purse – will be checked in the second screening. We don’t have effective screening equipment for the residue of bombs and explosives, so those items will be checked more often. It’s still a good idea to where as few clothes as possible. It will help you move through a little bit quicker.

Delta is the latest shoe to drop in the airline industry. Things have been in a state of disarray for a while, and Delta is now trying to create a fresh start. For customers, this is great news. For employees, it’s not so good. Long term, however, it improves the chances that the airline will be around to offer jobs. But in the immediate future, there will be more reasonable flights, more choices for locations and the elimination of many silly rules. In Cincinnati, for example, Delta started a fare structure based on the business model of Southwest airlines. Delta doesn’t have much competition to worry about in Cincinnati. But potential passengers were choosing to drive to Louisville, Dayton, Columbus and other airports to catch a discount airline. So, Delta changed its rules. Many of the stupid penalty fees and the idiotic Saturday-night-stays were eliminated, and it worked! Clark thinks Delta will probably change all of its airports to this structure. These kind of fares are known as “SimpliFares.” Still, that won’t prevent many employees from getting fired. Another 7,000 jobs are on the chopping block. Those who stay will receive less pay and will work more hours. But it just means that the marketplace won out. People were not willing to pay the outrageous fares to Delta, and it’s now taking its toll.

So many people now have high speed Internet access in their homes that they can turn their computer into a phone and call anywhere in the world. You are probably familiar with “instant messaging,” or “IMing,” which is free and takes place from computer to computer. But now you can use your computer to make phone calls for free. It’s a given that IM services are free, but the idea of free telephone conversations over the Internet is also possible. One of the biggest and fastest growing of these services is Skype. About 22 million people are now using Skype around the world. You call other Skype customers for free using a headset device, and calling people without the service is less than two cents a minute. Apparently, the sound quality is near perfect, as well. All you have to do is download the program on your computer and you’re set. Calling overseas costs nothing! That is great news.

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In other telecommunications news, hotels are blocking cell phone signals in their rooms and lobbies because they are losing tons of money on missed phone charges. People are using cell phones instead of making calls from their hotel phones. So, hotels in the U.S. have imported a German-made device that blocks cellular signals. The equipment is apparently illegal, but it’s not stopping hotels from doing it. If you need to dial 911 in an emergency, this is bad news. Just remember that it’s happening. And, if you’re traveling and are in a hotel, you may need to go outside.

Are you a cruiser? If you are experienced with cruises, the main cruise lines have implemented a policy you may want to know about. Cruise sellers, meaning companies that sell cruises for the cruise lines, will not be able to advertise unofficial prices on cruises. They can advertise sale prices, but they can’t offer deals that are better than the sale prices. For example, the brochure price for a cruise is $1,000 and the cruise is having a sale for $600. High volume cruise sellers will try to sell it for $499. But cruise lines are worried that they are losing control of their product. So, they have warned cruise sellers that they will lose their “co-op” money if they undercut the cruise lines. It’s basically a kick back, and it’s really important to people who sell cruises. So, what does it mean to you? You will have to call agencies that has offered you bargains in the past and ask for deals. They will not be able to advertise the deals, but you can still get it. You just have to ask.

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Big cruise lines are also offering "subscription clubs" for cruisers. If you like to cruise more than twice a year, your cruise seller may offer one of these clubs. You want to join. You may get access to great deals. Cruise lines are also experimenting with using cell phones on cruises. It's going on Europe right now, but will probably reach the States soon. Not so good for your fellow passengers, but the cruise lines make money off the price per minute. Get ready to hear yapping on cruise lines!

Clark carries two cell phones, and sometimes he is on both at the same time. He knows it’s pretty rude, but he can’t resist taking phone calls. The only time he is not on the cell phone is when he’s on an airplane. But that may be about to end. American Airlines is testing a system that will allow people to legally use cell phones in the air. The call is routed from the airplane to a satellite, so there is a brief delay while the call is routed to the satellite and back to the ground. Surprisingly, it has better call quality than regular phone-to-phone connections. Qualcomm is testing the system with AA, and so far it has worked flawlessly. Can you imagine the amount of squalking going on if cell phones are okayed on planes. People talk loudly on cell phones already, but in that cramped space for hours it could become unbearable. Maybe there should be a “cell phone zone” on airplanes so that other passengers aren’t disturbed. We’ll see how it works.

Delta is moving closer and closer to bankruptcy. Another step in that direction happened yesterday with the formation of a creditor’s committee. It usually happens during bankruptcy, but Delta’s situation is so precarious that it’s happened beforehand. Vendors, pilots and debt holders are all involved and are getting prepared for one of three scenarios. The first is called a “non-judicial reorganization,” which means that the company doesn’t file for bankruptcy but everyone agrees to steps that would normally take place during the bankruptcy process. Basically, workers take pay cuts, benefit cuts and agree to work more hours. People who are owed by Delta agree to receive less. Everyone involved takes a hit. American was able to do this, but it’s very rare. Stockholders have the greatest risk if Delta files for bankruptcy, so that is what the company tries to prevent. The other two options involve different forms of bankruptcy. The first is called a “pre-packaged bankruptcy.” Everyone on the committee works out what they are willing to do, the stockholders get wiped out. It’s a quick in and out proposition. The last and most difficult is the type of bankruptcy in which United is involved. United had no other choice because it had worked nothing out with creditors. So the company is still struggling to come up with a working plan in bankruptcy. So, for employees, the non-judicial plan is the best scenario. For passengers, a pre-packaged deal is the best because the company will come up with all kinds of deals. Passengers will also benefit if the company files for bankruptcy. But the airline will not shut down, regardless of what Delta does.

Clark travels a great deal and experiences the good and bad of air travel. The Transportation Security Authority, which handles security at all airports, has been doing a decent good job since September 11, 2001. But Clark feels that a pre-selected screening method would work much better. People would be screened on their likely level or risk first. Then, once they pass that phase they would be screened again in a less intrusive way. Pre-selection and screening helps separate those people who need more checking from those who pose no risk at all. It will save tons of time in airport security lines. In addition, the TSA is a monopoly that has the power to detain you if they deem you were rude or acting inappropriately. They are expected to move people through quickly and detect any weapons, but the reality is that those are two very opposing objectives. So, the good news is that a new law was passed allowing airports to fire TSA workers if they don’t like the job they are doing. By the end of next year, airports will be allowed to hire their own airport screening companies. The airports in Las Vegas and Atlanta have had terrible problems with security lines, some lasting more than six hours. So, something isn’t working. Clark thinks that that security lines should be split between federal screeners and private screeners. People would have a choice and they would inevitably choose the quicker line. You would probably see a per-passenger fee added to your ticket, but the wait would be much shorter. We’ll keep you posted on what happens.

Clark takes more than 100 flights per year. Only twice since the Feds took over security at airports was he close to missing a flight. But in some locations, the waits are horrendous. In Las Vegas, for example, people have had six hour waits. The airlines are really suffering from this because people are deciding it just not worth it to fly. So, after much delay, the Feds are now ready to test a new program that hopefully will move people through security more quickly. It’s called the “Trusted Traveler” program, and it will be tested in LA, Boston, Minneapolis, Houston and Washington, D.C. If you’re part of the test you’ll register by getting a background check first. Then, they’ll take a scan of your eye, finger and hand. Then you’ll get what’s called a “smart card” that has a chip in it with all of your information. About 10,000 will be screened during the test. If everything goes according to schedule, the national roll out will take place next year. Some people think this is an invasion of privacy. But let’s face it, we’re at war and we don’t know what is going to happen. Having a screening procedure that allows people who are “safe” to avoid inconvenience is a great idea. It will allow security officials to concentrate on the people who are a concern, not law-abiding citizens who are just trying to make their flights.

Clark recently flew back from his nationwide marketing tour and he had some problems getting home. He was flying through Denver when the radar at the airport failed, causing hundreds of flights to be delayed or cancelled. He was watching the story on the television in seat back in front of him as the plane circled over Denver. Then the pilot told the passengers that the plane was about to run out of gas and that they would have to land in Colorado Springs. The plane was one of hundreds on the tarmac and Clark and the rest of the passengers had to sit in the plane for about five hours. He saw some pretty despicable behavior while they waited. Some people were screaming at airline workers, who obviously have no control over the radar system not working. If you don’t travel often, airports may cause you anxiety. And when something doesn’t go right, it won’t accomplish anything to yell or treat others badly. Be polite and be prepared with solutions. Standing in line at the customer service desks won’t do you much good. Get on the phone with the airline reservation system yourself and you’ll have just as much progress. People who call get seats on the next flight out while you’re stuck waiting in line. If you can help it, don’t take the last flight of the day because there is a chance you’ll get stuck. And avoid Monday morning flights if you can help it. Clark thinks security will improve at airports because the Transportation Security Administration loses its contract after this year. The TSA will be in competition with private companies to handle security, and the groups will be tripping over themselves to do a better job.

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.

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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.

Clark has discussed ways to save on travel in the past and his three top choices are biddingfortravel.com, priceline.com and hotwire.com. Clark saves a bundle by using these sites, especially when booking hotels. Others he’s talked to like booking sites such as Expedia, Travelocity, and Sidestep because they get better deals with these sites than they do booking directly with a hotel. But it’s a window that is slowly closing. Hotel chains are fighting back and are no longer working with these sites to get rooms booked. Basically the hotel officials have convinced their franchise owners that they’re losing respectability and are tarnishing their name by doing business with these booking sites. It means that you need to start checking the individual hotel sites again when looking for the best deal. Some of them may not be participating with the travel sites anymore, so you want to check individual sites as well. Also, when booking through the comprehensive sites, business if often done by fax. And, come to find out, about 5 percent of hotel booking faxes are misplaced. So, make sure you get confirmation from the hotel where you’re staying before you show up.

We have more people flying today than we did before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Security lines can be horrendous and it’s hard to tell when you need to be there early and when you don’t. The inconsistency has business travelers in a tizzy, and many decide to have a teleconference nowadays instead of flying. For that reason, Clark has been an advocate of “trusted traveler” programs that allow certain travelers to be “expedited” through the security process. These travelers are put through a background check similar to the very thorough one used in Israel. After the initial check, they are cleared and issued a special ID that allows them to move through the airport very quickly. The Feds are very close to doing a pilot of this program, according to the Dallas Morning News. It will be a three-month program tested in Dallas, Boston, West Palm Beach, Knoxville and Washington, D.C. It’s going to be called the “Registered Traveler Program,” according to the Department of Transportation, and Clark thinks it’s a great idea. We waste tons of time screening people who don’t need to be screened and not enough time checking out people who do. The alternative would be to provide spy data on passengers under something called CAPS II, a very probative program that invades our privacy and could invite a lot of fear into the public.

Clark loves to travel, as you may know. But sometimes long flights can wear on his body. He likes to get up and walk around during long flights to keep the blood flow moving. In fact, people have died or been seriously injured because blood clots form when they sit in a seat for too long. It’s referred to as “couch class syndrome.” But one airline – often considered the world’s best airline – is taking great steps to remedy this problem. Singapore Airlines, which flies the longest flight in existence, has created a recreation area on its plane. The flight from Los Angeles to Singapore is 19 hours long. To give passengers a break, the company has taken seats out of the airplane to create this space for this recreation area. They have also created more space in rows for passengers. Giving up space for customers may lose revenue in the short term, but it’s really smart in the long run. American Airlines did not increase revenue when it increased leg room for passengers, so the company went back to its old, more cramped model. And, in general, airlines think it’s not a smart business decision. But Clark commends Singapore Air for thinking of its customers. It will eventually attract more and more passengers for this reason. The airline has also made fruit and snacks available to passengers. So, way to go Singapore Air! In other airline news, Virgin Atlantic is going to offer Internet chat rooms on its planes. British Airways, on the other hand, will soon start an “advanced coach” section with a bit more legroom and better service. As these flights get longer and longer, companies need to think about the fact that we are human beings – not cargo.

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.

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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.

In one of Clark’s previous books, he talks about a strategy in air travel that can save you tons of money, especially if you’re a business traveler. It’s known as “back-to-back” ticketing, and it works if you’re flying on a route that is dominated by the six full fare airlines. Most of these airlines require you to stay over on a Saturday night to get a special fare. If you’re a business traveler and you can’t stay overnight on a Saturday, the ticket may be $1,500. But business travelers will buy “back-to-back” tickets to get around it. What they do is buy two different roundtrip flights and only use one leg of each flight. This significantly reduces the cost of the flight. But one federal prosecutor is causing a stir about it and has filed a lawsuit against a company and an individual for using “back-to-back” tickets. It’s basically grandstanding about a topic that doesn’t need protecting. There is no reasonable excuse for getting involved in something like this. It’s a waste of federal dollars. It’s true that it’s in violation of the airline tariffs. But the way around it is to buy tickets on different airlines. Buy one leg on one carrier and the return leg on the other carrier. That way you are not violating anyone’s tariffs. But let’s hope we’re doing away with the Saturday night stay rule. It’s punitive and silly, and it forces business travelers to find alternative methods to save money.

More and more people are booking hotels with the various travel booking engines including Expedia, Priceline, Hotwire and Travelocity. In the past, travel agents usually booked hotels for us when they reserved airline flights. They had access to several hotel rating systems including Mobil and AAA, and would pick places based on the star rating. Today, the online booking sites assign their own star ratings to hotels and they are not always what they’re cracked up to be. It’s a good idea to check out the AAA ratings when you’re comparing hotels online. Mobil and AAA send out undercover inspectors to check out and grade hotels, so they are very legitimate, thorough processes. Priceline, on the other hand, looks at the amenities only. And, Expedia doesn’t even visit properties. Hotwire decides on a hotel description and the occasional visit, and hotels.com allows some hotels to rate their own business. Travelocity uses the AAA rating, which is good to know. Clark says shame on all of these companies that are cutting corners on quality. Clark had a bad experience with one of these booking services that uses its own rating system, and he has never visited them again. Even if these services have to pay a fee to AAA or Mobil, they should. It's the least they can do for customers. Also, a good site to visit for cross referencing reviews and ratings is tripadvisor.com.