French companies aim to incorporate casino games on airplanes

Since October, the two French engineers have begun negotiations with several airlines to sell their Jet Lounge Casino, a luxury bar including casino operations. "We try to bring some of the glamor of the 50s and 60s, the one you find in the James Bond films," says Frédérique Houssard to CNN. Skeptical, it is not lacking in mind that several similar experiences have been unsuccessful:

In 1981, Singapore Airlines had experienced the placement of slot machines in a plane traveling from Singapore to San Francisco. Two months later, the project was abandoned due to logistical difficulties.

In the 90s, Swissair had installed a "network-flight entertainment" on several of its aircraft. In 1998, the famous crash of Flight 111, a direct consequence of a failure of this network (arcs formed on the circuit network had caused a fire and decommissioned essential to the operation of the device), had the concept was right.

More recently, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Ryanair have considered incorporating casino activities some of their flights before abandoning or at least extend the deadline because of technical constraints.

Stephen McNamara, head of communications for Ryanair, said that delay of society are linked "to the costs of installing Wi-Fi required." "In two or three years [...] while the price has dropped," he believes that the project may be able to succeed.

Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre Alfano and Frédérique Houssard hope to convince other airlines with their Jet Lounge Casino. They will require overcoming two major obstacles:

-of regulatory First, with in particular the prohibition of gambling in the airspace of the United States;

-of economic Then, since the creation of an entertainment area should not impact the declining revenues by reducing the number of seats.

In all cases, poker players should not be the main target of the project. At first, only a blackjack table will indeed be included in the Jet Lounge Casino.