Confirmation from the airline may follow a board meeting next week.
The BBC understands flights could be moved to Belfast City within weeks and that a formal announcement may come in days.
The move will also make George Best Belfast City Airport, Belfast's only Heathrow connection
Anyone who thinks Jim Fitzpatrick has put this story together after reading speculative posts on PPRUNE obviously has no idea how journalists at this level work. He has been given the information "off the record" by someone regarded as a very reliable source. This could only be someone in a senior managerial position at the airport, Aer Lingus or indeed someone from both. When he writes "the BBC understands...", he means "the BBC has been told by a completely reliable source who does not wish to be identified at this stage..." Believe you me, no-one in his position is going to write a story like this without being 100% sure what he is writing is accurate. The story is very specific. There's nothing woolly or speculative about it, and the main points appear to be:
All Aer Lingus services will operate from BHD
The airline will develop other routes from BHD, as well as those it currently operates.
The announcement will be made within the next week or so.
The move may happen very quickly.
BFS will lose its link with Heathrow.
The Aer Lingus statement is simply
PR speak for "we're not ready to say anything about this yet." There's certainly no denial there.
I will be very surprised if the majority, indeed all, of Jim's story turns out to be anything other than spot on.