“The past 10 years have been the best in America’s aviation history with 153 fatalities. That’s two deaths for every 100 million passengers on commercial flights, according to an Associated Press analysis of government accident data.

The improvement is remarkable. Just a decade earlier, at the time the safest, passengers were 10 times as likely to die when flying on an American plane. The risk of death was even greater during the start of the jet age, with 1,696 people dying — 133 out of every 100 million passengers — from 1962 to 1971. The figures exclude acts of terrorism.

Sitting in a pressurized, aluminum tube seven miles above the ground may never seem like the most natural thing. But consider this: You are more likely to die driving to the airport than flying across the U.S. There are more than 30,000 motor-vehicle deaths each year, a mortality rate eight times greater than that in planes.”

You can read their entire article at http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/safer-fly-deaths-record-low-15265870

It’s reassuring to know that U.S. airline travel continues to make strides in safety.

Now that the in-flight meal is extinct, many hotel kitchens are stepping up to offer meals to go. Others provide a selection of snacks that beat airport and airline selections for quality and variety.

Some luxury hotels have begun lending athletic shoes and clothing so that guests don’t have to lug (and pay for!) that extra bag. Others will store wardrobe for frequently returning guests, laundering them after departure so that they are fresh and ready upon return. Guests whose wardrobe has increased during a stay may be helped to avoid baggage charges with boxes to ship excess items back home.

In some locations hotels are opening their own lounges for guests to freshen up on arrival or to while away the time before departure. These may include wet bars, Wi-Fi, electronics charging stations, showers, children’s play areas, and refreshments. Other airport innkeepers offer half-day rates for long layovers or delays to relax in the privacy of a hotel room instead of sitting around the terminal.

Most of these services come at a price, of course, especially airport services for departing guests. Still, the cost is often less for comparable airport services (such as lounges and expedited security or customs). And other offerings are otherwise unavailable at any price.

Few of us are flying first class anymore, but planning ahead and expecting the unexpected can make traveling with kids more palatable than Mr. Benchley might have imagined

Start by remembering all the problems that made past flights less than pleasurable for you and your child and think of remedies for those issues this time. You can’t control delays and annoyances, but you can put sufficient toys, snacks, and money in your carry-on to turn an unscheduled layover into tolerable together time.

Here are some hints to make plane travel easier on the wee ones.

Book Early for Best Selection

Airports are booooring. And if waiting around in them makes you cranky, it’s going to be worse for your child. Although they’re more expensive, nonstops are less stressful and time-consuming. And re4member, connecting flights require getting off a plane and spending time in another airport before boarding the next flight. Any delays can mean a mad dash to the next gate at best and missed connections with long layovers at worst.

Talk about Things

Explain things ahead of time. Even if your child has flown before, explaining each stage of the process and flight will allay any anxieties. Make sure young children realize that there will be bumpiness and engine noises so they don’t get scared. If practical, visit the airport ahead of time so that part of the trip is familiar at least.

Comfort Is the Goal

Let your kids wear comfortable play clothes and don’t forget to pack extra clothes in the carry-on, especially when traveling with toddlers. Airplanes tend to be cold and airline blankets are fast disappearing. Make sure all children have a sweater or jacket at their seat.

Stick Together

If your airline offers reserved seating, it will be worth an extra fee to keep your kids with you tfor reassurance or refereeing. Cutting costs by skipping sear reservation can be disastrous for parents traveling with small children.

Safety and Security

Children who require car seats will be safest (and probably more comfortable) using their seats on the plane. But remember, the car seat or harness must contain a label indicating it is approved by the FAA for air travel.

Children and all children’s items — including strollers, diaper bags and toys — must go through TSA screening. Equipment such as folded strollers small enough to pass through the X-ray machine must be placed on the belt.

Babies and children must be removed from strollers or infant carriers before passing through the walk-through metal detector at the security checkpoint. Toddlers old enough to walk unassisted should walk through detectors on their own.

Breast milk, juice, formula and medications are allowed on flights in reasonable qualities, even if they exceed the usual 3.4 ounce limit for liquids. These items must be declared at the security checkpoint.

Air pressure changes during takeoff and landing can cause ear pain in babies and young children. Bottle or breastfeeding babies or providing a pacifier to encourage swallowing may help the ears adjust to air pressure changes. Sucking on lollipops or eating crackers encourages toddlers to swallow, while older children may find relief by chewing gum.

Your forethought and planning can help your kids have the last laugh on Mr. Benchley.

There will be little effect on passengers. Each carrier will continue to operate separate systems for reservations, seat assignments and flight status until the company combines those services sometime in the first quarter of 2012.

The most visible effect of the approval is that air traffic control communications will now refer to all of the carrier’s flights as “United.”

Many airlines have reduced scheduled flights over the past couple of years, so most planes will be approaching 100% capacity. Passenger trains will also be packed, as Amtrak has been recording record ridership the past couple of years. And if you’re thinking about driving to your holiday destination, you’ll have plenty of company on the highways, too. No matter how you want to travel, there won’t be fewer hassles this holiday season.

How can you keep travel woes from crushing your holiday spirit? Harriet Baskas, travel writer for msnbc.com’s The Well-Mannered Traveler, and author of the “Stuck at the Airport” blog, posted tips for holiday travel last year. Here are a few of her suggestions.

Get plenty of sleep
It’s tempting to stay up late packing and clearing off your desk before a trip. But sleep-deprived travelers are cranky travelers and likely to find everything about travel extra irritating. So get a good night’s sleep.

Prepare Ahead
Do everything you can before you leave home. Reconfirm reservations the night before your trip and check your flight information before you leave the house (especially if weather is bad on either end). Print out your travel information. If driving, make sure you have current maps.

Arrive early
Whether traveling by train, plane, bus or car, get an early start. Airlines advise being at the airport at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights. But at holiday time, it’s wise to build in extra time to allow for crowds at airports or train stations, not to mention extra busy highways. Keep this in mind for your return trip as well.

Dress for TSA
At airport security checkpoints, you’ll still need to remove your shoes, coat, big belt buckle and other metal objects. Computers, however, can now stay in their (TSA-approved) cases.

Know what won’t pass inspection
Travelers give up tons of prohibited items at airport security checkpoints. So take a moment to read through the TSA’s current list of what is permitted and prohibited for carry-on.

Pack smart
Security officers may require you to unwrap gifts in your carry-on bag, so it’s best to carry presents and wrapping paper separately. X-ray machines can’t always see through piles of books, CD’s and other dense items, so spread them out in your bag.

Have a survival kit
It should include snacks, a charged cell phone and a backup calling card, a small flashlight, sanitizing wipes, entertainment (books, DVD or music player, cards, etc.) and some extra cash. Earplugs and an eyeshade are a good idea, too.

Be ready for problems
Load your cell phone and/or laptop with phone numbers for your airline, hotel, car rental agency, and your trip information, if possible. Make sure you also have it all on paper in case your electronics are lost or out of service. And make sure someone at home has a copy of all that information.

Know how to complain
If things go wrong, it isn’t smart to yell at the people who are working the holiday and just trying to do their jobs to help you with your problem. If you can’t calmly resolve a problem on site, take good notes, get names, and follow up immediately with a phone call and/or letter when you get to your destination.

Make sure your kids know how to travel
Whining, crying, unhappy kids in an airport, on a train, or in the back of the car are no fun – for anyone. Make sure yours are prepared for the adventure. Bring along small, quiet toys, books, snacks and activities. And tell them what the travel day will be like and how to behave in public.

Happy Holiday travel!