And We Don't Mean On Finding A Seat

It just doesn't seem that gambling and flying should go well together. After all, how many passengers want anyone on the flight crew to even use the word "gamble?" Make ours a sure thing, please.

But Ryanair seems to think some passengers might like to gamble while flying. No, not on whether the flight will arrive on time... on bingo.

Reuters reports the Irish low-cost carrier -- whose very name has increasingly become synonymous with the word "wacky," and we mean that with respect -- plans to gives its customers the option to play bingo on the Ryanair website, under a deal with the online bingo site Jackpotjoy.com.

But alas, that's not all... as the carrier also hopes to move into the second phase of the program (cue ominous music) in 2007... by offering gambling to passengers onboard its planes, too. Under that scheme, passengers will be able use their mobile phones or PCs to play online bingo as they zip along to their destination.

"We might have the pilot calling out bingo numbers. That would get everyone's attention," Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary told reporters.

And the airline says passengers won't be playing for... ahem... peanuts either. In fact, they might win a jackpot near $400,000.

The budget carrier is pushing customers hard to try it, too. As an introductory offer, first-time players get a free flight.

All of this is contingent on whether European regulators approve Ryanair's proposed mobile phone service, which is also due to launch mid-2007. Ryanair is betting... pardon the pun... regulators will see things its way.

FMI: www.ryanair.com