Air Wales is looking at a service between Cardiff and Anglesey

A commercial airline between north and south Wales flying from RAF Valley on Anglesey could take off by the end of the year, according to the island's MP.

Albert Owen said he was confident the military air base would be used for commercial flights to Cardiff and Dublin.

A daily flight to Cardiff International Airport would cut the arduous road journey, usually taking between four to five hours, to 40 minutes.

A journey to the Irish capital is only 15 minutes away by air.

Mr Owen said a bid from the island - supported by Anglesey council officials and businessmen - was being backed by UK Transport Secretary Alistair Darling and Welsh Secretary Peter Hain.

The Labour MP said an Anglesey airport would be a great boost to the business and tourism economy of both the island and north west Wales as a whole.

Anglesey is still reeling from a number of job losses in recent months, including 100 redundancies at the Great Lakes plant in Amlwch last week.

Security

Mr Owen said: "I believe this is the catalyst for economic regeneration... it will put Anglesey on the map and up there with the big players."

"We have identified from research that around 150 business people use the north to south Wales route every day."

On Wednesday Mr Owen and a delegation of council officials and entrepreneurs met Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon to ask for official permission from the Ministry of Defence for the bid to go ahead.

Mr Owen believes there could be a link by the end of 2004

Mr Owen said: "We have a good relationship with RAF Valley and we have identified a secure enclave which would not affect the day-to-day running of the base."

He said it would need a �500,000 grant which would be spent on a handling bay, airport security and a car park for a successful bid to take place.

Airline companies are interested in operating daily return services for planes with 48-50 seats.

Air Wales, which describes itself as Wales' national airline, and operates services to and from Swansea and Cardiff airport, said it was in discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government about a north-south link.

A company spokesman it was "very keen" in getting involved.

Last week it cut a service from Cardiff to Liverpool less than six weeks after it was launched.