FORMIA elevates inflight entertainment with phygital innovation
This is a special feature from the September 2025 APEX Global EXPO issue of PAX Tech, on page 30.
FORMIA’s Transformers kit combines tangible elements with digital content to deliver an immersive, cross-platform storytelling experience
In an era where passenger expectations extend far beyond a comfortable seat and a meal, FORMIA is redefining what it means to engage young travelers and families. The company’s latest innovation is built around the concept of “phygital”—the seamless fusion of physical and digital elements into a single, cohesive experience.
For Generation Alpha—the first truly digital-native generation—this integration is not a novelty but an expectation. With nearly two billion individuals globally, Gen Alpha already makes up 24 percent of the world’s population, and its influence on travel is undeniable, FORMIA tells PAX Tech.
Introducing interactive, brand-driven experiences
FORMIA KiDCURATE™ is a recently introduced dedicated product category created to reimagine the family inflight journey. Among it is a growing portfolio of globally recognized childrens’ brands across the games, entertainment and lifestyle space, including FORMIA’s industry-first exclusive collaboration with Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company. The partnership unlocks access to more than 150 globally loved brands such as Peppa Pig, Monopoly and Transformers, giving airlines the flexibility to tailor onboard experiences for young travelers.
Roland Grohmann, CEO and Managing Partner at FORMIA
“The new product category reflects FORMIA’s insight-led approach to family engagement, combining thoughtfully designed products with interactive, brand-driven experiences,” explains Roland Grohmann, CEO and Managing Partner at FORMIA.
Among its features are phygital kits, designed to create a narrative line between the physical product and inflight entertainment. At WTCE in April, FORMIA debuted a kids concept kit, linking tangible kit elements to screen-based content to create an immersive, cross-platform storytelling experience.
The value for airlines goes beyond keeping children entertained.
“Generation Alpha is already reshaping how families travel—brand-savvy, digital-first and deeply influential in household decisions,”
Grohmann says. He notes that a 2024 Hilton survey, cited by digital parenting platform Parents.com, finds that 70 percent of parents consider their Gen Alpha children’s preferences when planning a trip.
FORMIA’s Marisa Pitsch, Chief Marketing Officer, explains that “For young travelers, familiarity breeds comfort. When they see a brand they love, it sparks excitement and that affinity extends to the airline itself, transferring brand equity and enhancing the overall travel experience.”
Marisa Pitsch, Chief Customer Experience Officer, FORMIA
FORMIA designed the Hasbro Gaming Family Kit to foster shared moments between parents and children. “Hasbro’s portfolio of brands resonates across generations and together, FORMIA and Hasbro create opportunities for airlines to foster connection through nostalgia, play and meaningful interaction,” Pitsch says.
These experiences turn what could be passive screen time into active family engagement, strengthening emotional connections that last far beyond the flight.
Toying for connection
The phygital vision extends further through FORMIA’s partnership with FlightPath3D. Pitsch describes it as “bringing branded storytelling to life by linking physical kit elements to interactive maps and screen-based experiences. This connection turns the inflight journey into a multi-layered adventure.”
With FlightPath3D’s Kids Map, children can use items from the amenity kit to interact with the inflight map and story-based activities, transforming the seatback screen into a portal for discovery. Pitsch says parents, increasingly aware of the downsides of passive tech use, are drawn to experiences that encourage connection.
“Today’s families value cooperative play and communication, and they view technology-enabled toys more positively when those toys support these connections," she explains.
This positions airlines as innovators that understand the needs of modern families.
Transforming storytelling
FORMIA unveiled its FORMIA KiDCURATE™ range earlier this year in Hamburg at an immersive, invitation-only booth. The curated environment took visitors on a journey through comfort, play, luxury and lifestyle, showcasing brands such as Kaloo, Cavalli Junior, American Tourister and Chupa Chups. By weaving physical play into digital platforms, FORMIA is creating experiences that feel fresh, relevant and emotionally resonant.
As Grohmann says, “This is not just the next evolution of inflight play. It is the next chapter in how airlines connect with the travelers of tomorrow. We look forward to building on this momentum with our partners at IFSA in Long Beach.”
