Passengers can play roulette, blackjack, poker or slot machines on their consoles. Payments are by credit card or through the purchase of Fun Cards. Winnings are either credited to your card or sent on later for Fun Card players. Losses are limited to $500 per passenger, to prevent people losing too much money on long flights, and perhaps precipitating acts of air rage.Because modern planes have satellite communication systems, there is great potential for even more sophisticated technology. British Airways is already planning to install links which, in the case of an on-board emergency, can transmit data such as heart rates and blood pressure to medical experts on the ground.

Doctors monitor the patient, make a diagnosis and recommend the best course of action. Virgin, among others, is investigating e-mail and internet connection. Currently, the satellite band-widths are not wide enough to accommodate real-time web surfing, but in the meantime it is possible to receive "batch information" - specific data that a passenger needs to be updated on during the flight (stock prices, for example). This system also allows up-to-date news programmes to be received during flights, rather than relying on pre-recorded cassettes. Eventually, operators would like to offer satellite TV on demand, which means you could sit and flick channels just as you do on the couch at homeServices are not available on all routes, please check before booking. Reservations numbers: British Airways, 0345 222 111; Japan Airlines, 0345 747 777; Lauda Air, 0171-630 5924; Malaysia Airlines, 0171-341 2020; United Airlines, 08458 444 777; Virgin Atlantic, 01293 747 747. "I work from seven in the morning until nine in the evening every day and most weekends Life is about working hard and playing hard I enjoy work I work for myself.

As long as you're sincere in what you do, that's what matters There's no point in sitting around: life's too short The world is becoming increasingly competitive. With free movement of labour in Europe now it's going to get worse, with people coming in who are prepared to work harder You have to stay one step ahead of the others It will be tougher for our children They won't be able to get away with having a bad education I come from Tanzania, my parents were Indians. I had seven O-levels, but if you didn't speak proper English you ended up working in a hotel or a take-away My first job was as a cleaner in a B&B. A few months later, I rented a fish and chip shop in Brixton, and lived in a room above it. After a year or two I sold that and rented a B&B in Olympia at a very high rent Then I bought the lease on the house next-door Now I own three hotels in London with more than 1,000 rooms.