What's the deal with witches and broomsticks?

Because some people recognized the importance of trying to keep clean, when everybody else maybe bathed once a year.
So being clean became a "sign" of devil worship or paganism.

At one time, reaching its nadir in the 17C, the stoked-up fear of supposed witches included a notion that they could fly on broomsticks, as well as being able to creep through keyholes or down chimneys!

It seems every age has to find something to terrify itself with!   

It is a symbol for astral travel.

Witches steal broomsticks or more take flight with them when they twig ones been a special branch....:)