A third runway at Heathrow is a huge undertaking — but necessary
Prevailing winds in the United Kingdom come from the southwest. For reasons of performance and safety, aircraft typically take off and land into the wind. That means airliners arriving at Heathrow are descending from the east 70 per cent of the time, over the centre of London. That means more noise, and a tiny additional safety risk, for Londoners living under the flightpath. A busy flightpath it is, too. On average there are some 650 arrivals at Heathrow each day, the first roaring in from the Far East as early as 4.30am.
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Your opinion of September probably depends on whether you are under or over 18. If you are in the former camp, the ninth month of the year comes with heavy connotations of new textbooks, the retreat to the classroom, and evenings of homework. If you have passed that milestone age, then September is rather more fun. In fact, there is an argument that, if you are not tied to full-time education – or directly responsible for someone who is – then September is the greatest month for travel. With children everywhere from Shetland to Southampton out of the picture, Europe's most popular destinations are quieter, airports are not full of families running to catch their flight – and the consequent lessening of demand means that holidays are usually cheaper. Better still, September offers a Goldilocks type of weather: neither the 'too hot' scenario of July and August, nor the 'too cold' that looms from November onward; merely a 'just right' that applies to most of the European landmass. Of course, if you want to go further afield in search of your ideal temperature, then North Africa and North America may also be of service. Here's our pick of the 10 best destinations for September sun. For temperatures 19C to 24C Belgium's coastline, strung along the North Sea between France and the Netherlands, is rarely lavished with praise. But there are lovely stretches of beach in the 40 or so miles between De Panne and Knokke-Heist, some of them home to soaring sand dunes. The weather in September is still pleasant too – and if you are eager to save a few pennies then genuine bargains are available. How to do it A seven-night getaway to the four-star Beach Palace Hotel in Blankenberge (at the north end of the coastal strip), flying from Heathrow to Brussels on September 13, costs from £578 a head, with Last Minute (020 3386 8411). If you would rather keep the journey time to a bare minimum, the second largest of the Channel Islands is a super option for the twilight of the summer; an unhurried outcrop where the pace of life rarely feels too frenetic. The capital, St Peter Port, slopes down to the harbour – and 13th-century fortress Castle Cornet – in a haze of shops and cafes. And if you feel like a spot of exercise, the coastal path amounts to a 39-mile complete circle. How to do it A seven-night getaway to the Duke of Richmond hotel – an attractive four-star in St Peter Port – flying out from Bristol on September 13, costs from £1,037 per person, with Channel Islands Direct (0800 640 9058). There is arguably no better month in which to visit France's capital of viticulture. The grape harvest – la vendage – generally begins in the middle of September, and is usually a cause for celebration as well as hard labour in the vineyards. Witness the Ban des Vendages festival, held on the third Sunday of September (September 21 2025) in neighbouring wine hotspot Saint Émilion. How to do it Wine-travel specialist Smooth Red (020 8877 4940) serves up a four-day City And Château Stay, which combines Bordeaux and Saint Émilion with a fair few bottles of top-quality claret. From £1,940 per person, not including flights. 25C to 29C September trims some of the excess from the Sicilian summer. The biggest island in the Mediterranean can swelter in temperatures in the upper 30s in July and August, but by the ninth month of the year, its ardour has generally diminished to something rather more palatable. A perfect window, then, to visit east-coast Taormina, where the hillside theatre, built in the third century BC, offers ancient Greek finesse in the Italian sunshine. How to do it Sicily4U (020 3868 6514) boasts a range of properties on the island. You can still rent Villa Kira – which can sleep up to eight, in the nearby town of Letojanni – during the week of September 27, for €5,707 (£4,930). Excluding flights. September tempers the worst of the summer heat on the Costa del Sol. Better still, with the school bell ringing, it opens up space on the beach, in the hotel, and around the swimming pool. As the de facto capital of the Andalusian coastline, Malaga is a fabulous city, its Picasso Museum full of bright wonders. Alternatively, you may just want a week on the sand. How to do it A seven-night all-inclusive escape to the four-star Globales Playa Estepona (50 miles down the coast), flying from Birmingham on September 21, costs from £868 per person, including transfers, with Tui (020 3451 2716). If you prefer your Iberian holidays to come with a Portuguese accent, the Algarve is always a reliable destination for sun and sand. September generally makes for a calmer experience in the likes of Albufeira and Carvoeiro – and if these fabled resort-towns are destinations better suited to easy relaxation than full cultural immersion, then, well, what's wrong with that? It's the end of the summer; order a drink. How to do it A seven-night self-catered stay at the five-star Grand Muthu Forte Do Vale resort in Albufeira – flying from Manchester to Faro on September 20 – costs from £679 per person, with Love Holidays (01234 230 440). With its southerly latitude, Greece stretches its summer well into the ninth month of the year. Except for the comparative lack of tourists, there is little obvious difference between July and September when it comes to a week on an Aegean island. Rhodes is a splendid option for a late-season getaway. Not least at Lindos, on the east coast, which shimmers in the sun at the foot of an ancient acropolis, the Turkish shore visible in the blur beyond. How to do it Rhodes welcomes a wealth of flights from the UK. A seven-night stay at the three-star Avra Apartments in Lindos, flying in from Edinburgh on September 13, starts at £596 per person, with Olympic Holidays (020 8492 6868). 30C and up You can find a final flash of the 30C on the south coast of Cyprus, where the Mediterranean's largest island-nation uses its effectively Middle Eastern location to keep the mercury rising. In such heat, you may not want to stray far from your lounger at your Limassol resort. But then, that's pretty much the idea. How to do it A seven-night dash to the five-star St Raphael Resort in Limassol, flying from Gatwick on September 27, starts at £1,050 per person with breakfast, with British Airways Holidays (0344 493 0787). If you really want the sort of September temperatures that send many people scurrying inside in search of air-conditioned comfort, then you need to look beyond Europe. But not too far beyond. A top possibility for respite from the winter, Egypt's Red Sea resorts also work for a final burst of undimmed summer. El Gouna, a modern resort area just to the north of better-known Hurghada, is an increasingly popular choice. How to do it A seven-night all-inclusive break to the five-star Sheraton Miramar Resort El Gouna, flying out of Luton on September 13, costs from £1,239 per person, including luggage and transfers, with easyJet Holidays (0330 493 0787). If you are the sort of nominal adult who loves the theme parks of Orlando, but doesn't particularly want to 'enjoy' them while queuing for hours in sub-tropical heat with an army of sugar-boosted children, September is your friend. Florida's holiday capital is far less over-excited when the youngsters of the world are struggling through double maths – while the lines at the likes of Universal Epic Universe, which opened in May, are shorter. How to do it A seven-night transatlantic dash to the three-star Universal Endless Summer Resort – flying from Heathrow on September 6 – costs from a basic £992 per person, with Virgin Atlantic (0344 209 4703).
