Britain is poised to handle a record number of flights in its increasingly crowded skies as most schools break up for the summer and families head off for sunnier climes.

The NATS air traffic control agency said it expects to handle some 8,800 flights Friday.

Officials say the number of flights should break the record of 8,732 flights on May 23, 2008 unless foul weather forces a number of cancellations.

NATS director Jamie Hutchison says air traffic is growing faster than had been forecast. Though the air traffic system is nearing capacity, he says it is well-positioned to handle the scale of Friday's flights.