A Mesa Airlines pilot’s laptop went missing last week at Washington’s Dulles Airport. This wasn’t any old laptop, mind you. It contained top secret security information that, as reported by Washington DC’s ABC 7 News, provide “the pilot, through a keypad, access from the gate to the plane and down to ground level right below the plane.”

Needless to say, this caused major security concerns. 17 airports including Chicago O’Hare and Hartsfield in Atlanta, had to quickly change security codes. While this situation caused general panic and some embarrassment for Mesa Airlines, it also raised serious security questions. Should sensitive codes such as these be stored on a pilot’s laptop? If so, what measures need to be in place to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen on a regular basis?

Sometimes, anyway. A few seconds worth, anyway.

Here’s the deal: an acquaintance told me that any time a small plane flies over his house, he can hear the pilot’s conversation coming out of his computer speakers.

You’re probably thinking flashbacks, but he was always kind of a goody-goody, so that’s not it. Maybe it’s because his house is high up in the Rockies — closer to the action so to speak.

I wanted to know if he heard anything interesting – but no. Just idle chit-chat. And he could recall neither the chit nor the chat.

Now if he could just arrange to be seated at said computer when UFO’s fly by. You know how the Western skies are infested with them, and I for one would like a heads-up about any conquest of earth – strictly for planning purposes (Do I send the dry-cleaning out? Or wait?).

Remember that incident back in February, when 2 “go! airlines” pilots flew past the airport in Hilo, Hawaii? Yeah, they sort of missed their runway — by about 15 miles.

And people were sort of wondering — were they napping?

Well, they’ve been axed. But here’s the deal: “go! airline’s” parent company, Mesa Air Group, has had its share of complaints by pilots that they are overworked and exhausted.

That ain’t right. On the other hand, the only person I want to see sleeping on a plane is me.

Rick’s latest column is all about how the airlines are nickel and dime-ing us…in new and inventive and expensive ways.

It’s…interesting and horrifying. So give it a read. By clicking here.

US Airways is now making us pay for the privilege of sitting down. Really. Well, no. But…

…but they are making you pay a minimum of $5 per-flight-leg for the aisle and window seats in the front of the plane (and if you want all the details, click here–or here–quite frankly, I’m just too upset to go into it).

But, why stop there? What else can they charge us for? How about a buck to sit next to the lavatory? Or a $2 fee for an aisle seat in the last row? Or maybe an in-flight raffle? Prize: the co-pilot’s seat (now you’re talkin’!).

But what am I doing, giving US Airways all this genius-like free advice? Somebody should be paying ME. US Airways, you know where to find me.

Ever wonder what those fancy types up in first class are watching on their personal entertainment systems during long haul flights while you’re forced to re-do the crossword puzzle for the third time or watch some Val Kilmer movie from the mid-80s on a screen that’s half blocked by the seats of the 12 rows in front of you?

Well, truth is, you might not be missing much. Take a look at our first class travel blog to see how the other half is living (movie wise, anyway), and old Val might not look so bad.

Saw this on walletpop.com — an article called, “Check your airline’s financial health before buying a ticket”.

Alright, and we do that…how?

Direct quote from the article: “Consumers [can] do their own research. Quite simply, when you’re booking a flight, stick with the airlines that appear to be in the best of financial health.”

Oh! Is that all there is to it? Well, thank you, Capt. Obvious but I neglected to get that MBA. I never even became a CPA like Ma wanted. Must continue with current Russian Roulette system: find plane goes to desired destination; if plane is cheap, get on (smart, huh? Knew that GED would come in handy someday).

Talk about adding insult to injury.

Some poor guy dies on a British Airways’ Hong Kong to Heathrow flight. Sad. Problem is, the deceased businessman unfortunately died on April 2^nd, at the height of the madness at Heathrow. And by madness, I mean that’s when Heathrow’s luggage “experts” were busy LOSING 28,000 BAGS.

Among the missing bags — yep, the dead guy’s. And his son is pretty hot under the collar about it. Understandably. He called the situation, “unforgivable.”

There’s about 27,999 folks who would agree with that assessment.

You don’t have to fly all the time to know that things just haven’t been going that well for the airlines from a customer service standpoint. With tarmac delays, bizarre TSA run-ins, and the seeming disappearance of “frills,” passengers on the whole just haven’t been all that happy of late.

FareCompare CEO Rick Seaney takes a look at what the latest airline complaint study (they’ were up 60% in 2007) means for airlines, passengers, and the industry. See what Rick has to say in “New Report: Complaints about Airlines are Rising.”

Oh, Naomi Campbell. We can’t take you anywhere.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell, as famous for her work on the catwalk as for throwing phones and attacking her maids, is at it again. According to reports by the Mirror and CNN, Ms. Campbell has been arrested on suspicion of assault after being taken off a plane at Heathrow’s already beleaguered Terminal 5. It seems that Campbell’s tirade stemmed from an issue of lost luggage. Had she read our CEO’s report on mishandled baggage at Terminal 5, she may have been better prepared.

Unfortunately, she didn’t handle it well. Passengers claim Ms. Campbell was “aggressive to flight staff,” and she was removed from the plane. No news on as to how this will affect her dancing lizard commercials.

Naturally, we are talking about the President of Palau (which, as we ALL know, is an island nation about 500 miles east of the Philippines).

Here’s what went down: Mr. President was visiting the Philippines and was about to head off to Guam. It gets a little murky here, but apparently he was told he had to go through regular security procedures to get on board his Continental flight, procedures that include the possibility of getting frisked, and…he didn’t want to! So he left in a huff (most likely, a limo) and disappeared into his hotel.

Confession time: I don’t know where Palau is, but then again, I’m a product of the American education system, but I do know when a guy is a head of state, and Mr. President certainly qualifies so…I would have given him a pass.

Don’t worry, he did get out the next day…on a charter.

Ask and you shall receive.

Rick (that’s Mr. FareCompare or Mr. FC to us, but, please…Mr. Seaney to you) has just written a column for ABCNews.com in which he DOES provide that very help.

Plus, he give out tips and stuff. It’s good. You shall read it. Clicketh here.