December 17, 2023 — Air travel is soaring, as a long-term trend, especially in the growing economy. It is also soaring seasonally: The few days after Christmas are expected to be especially intense. Many passengers will experience maddening flight delays this holiday season, especially in the US. A few might be exposed to scary airport near-misses. It is reasonable to hope that the excellent US safety record — no fatal crashes since 2009 — will be extended. But close calls have increased during the post-pandemic return to commercial air travel, reaching about 300 in the most recent year, 27 of them serious.