Plane crazy: Record 8,800 flights expected in UK skies today

Today is expected to be the busiest day in history for Britain's skies - with 8,800 planes to be handled by air traffic controllers over the next 24 hours.

The daily aviation record comes at the start of what is set to be a record summer season for flights.

Some 770,000 planes are due to fly through UK airspace from June to August - 40,000 more than the same time last year.

In total 2.45 million flights soared through UK skies in 2016.

Martin Rolfe, the chief executive of the National Air Traffic Service (NATS), has warned it is now "exceptionally crowded".

"We are approaching the limit of what the skies can handle with the airspace we have in place," he told BBC's Radio 4.

"The routes we currently have in place are becoming exceptionally crowded, and on the busiest days we sometimes have to reroute aircraft to make sure we can get everybody to their destinations on time."

Mr Rolfe said the busy days at airports do not take air traffic controllers by surprise as they start planning more than a year in advance.

He also said there was room to take advantage of modern jets' ability to take steeper approaches to airports and make the most of available airspace.

As the skies get more crowded, the Government launched its planned aviation strategy to deal with the next 30 years and beyond.

The public is being asked their views on doorstep luggage collection services and town centre check-in desks for passengers flying from British airports.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "As a global, trading nation we want to build on the great industry we have today and create opportunities for people up and down the country.

"Our new aviation strategy will look beyond the new runway at Heathrow and sets out a comprehensive long-term plan for UK aviation. It will support jobs and economic growth across the whole of the UK."

As part of the strategy, a £1bn investment to double the size of Manchester Airport's Terminal 2 was announced.

Charlie Cornish, the chief executive of Manchester Airports Group, described the investment as a "significant moment" demonstrating "the confidence that we have in the long-term future of both the North and the UK economy".

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said: "Today's warning from NATS is yet another example of the Government's failure to act and comes as uncertainty over Brexit is threatening the UK aviation industry.

"The Government must listen to what NATS and the industry more broadly are warning and take action to protect and modernise UK airspace."