FORMIA highlights how evolution of luxury defines passenger experience
Luxury is becoming more personal. For decades, luxury was relatively easy to recognize. It was expressed through exclusivity, craftsmanship, status and the possession of beautiful things. In an interview with PAX International, FORMIA emphasizes that while these qualities still matter, it no longer tells the whole story.
Today, affluent consumers place greater value on experiences and the emotions they evoke. According to Euromonitor, more than 70 percent of affluent consumers now value experiences more than material goods, with luxury travel and hospitality growing ahead of personal luxury goods and luxury cars.
For airlines, FORMIA says, this creates an opportunity to think differently about the role brands can play in the passenger experience.
“The most interesting shift we are seeing in luxury is from thinking primarily about products to thinking about human behavior. Affluent consumers do not necessarily need another expensive object. Increasingly, they value experiences that make them feel something. Recognized, cared for, connected or simply understood,” says Wilbert De Louw, Co-CEO at FORMIA.
“It is becoming less about ‘What did I receive?’ and more about ‘How did this make me feel?’ That is a significant change in the way we need to think about luxury in the passenger experience,” he shares.
From cabin to connection
For FORMIA, this interpretation of luxury is opening the door to a much wider universe of partnerships. Rather than focusing exclusively on the fashion and beauty names traditionally associated with premium travel, we see opportunities for airlines to also collaborate with brands connected to wellbeing, sport, culture, art and lifestyle.
American Airlines’ limited-edition U.S. Soccer amenity program launched this summer. Facilitated by FORMIA the program connects a global experience and brings it through the passenger journey. Designed to move “from the plane to the game,” the stadium-ready bags extend the partnership beyond the cabin and connect the airline and passengers with a wider community of fans.
American Airlines’ limited-edition U.S. Soccer amenity bags, facilitated by FORMIA, took fans “from the plane to the game” this summer with stadium-ready designs that extend the partnership beyond the cabin
“Shared passions can create incredibly powerful connections. Sport already has an emotional relevance in people’s lives, so the opportunity is for an airline to find an authentic way to become part of that experience,” says Michele Ragonesi, Senior Regional Director, Americas, at FORMIA. “With American Airlines and U.S. Soccer, the partnership connects the journey with something passengers may already care deeply about.”
The power of place
Aeroméxico’s special-edition Premier One collection with Nopalera brings a contemporary expression of Mexico onboard. The designs draw on the country’s identity, launched during a summer of soccer, while the skincare is centered around the nopal cactus, an ingredient deeply connected to Mexican heritage.
“There is something powerful about discovery in travel. Airlines can introduce passengers to brands they may not already know, but which have a genuine connection to the destination and the airline. With Nopalera, we saw that discovery continue beyond the flight, with website traffic increasing 72.6 percent in cities served by the kit. It shows the potential for the onboard experience to create genuine curiosity and engagement with a brand,” says Ragonesi.
Aeroméxico’s special-edition Premier One collection with Nopalera celebrates Mexican identity through distinctive designs and skincare featuring the nopal cactus
Japan Airlines’ partnership with HERALBONY brings the work of artists with intellectual disabilities into its Business Class experience. The collaboration introduces passengers to diverse creative perspectives while giving the artists a global platform.
“We are seeing luxury move beyond traditional ideas of status to embrace greater substance. Increasingly, there is value in experiences that reflect purpose, empathy and different perspectives. HERALBONY brings that thinking into the cabin by celebrating individuality and creativity while giving artists a global platform. It shows how meaning and human connection can sit alongside craftsmanship and quality as part of a modern luxury experience,” says Marisa Pitsch, Chief Marketing Officer at FORMIA.
Japan Airlines’ partnership with HERALBONY showcases work by artists with intellectual disabilities, bringing diverse creative perspectives to passengers in Business Class and giving the artists a global platform
EVA Air’s partnership with Maison Kitsuné offers another perspective. Spanning amenity kits and loungewear in Royal Laurel Class, the collaboration connects passengers to the French-Japanese premium lifestyle brand’s wider universe.
“Luxury is increasingly about the world a brand invites you into, rather than simply the product itself. Maison Kitsuné is a great example, spanning fashion, music and café culture. EVA Air was drawn to the brand’s cross-cultural values, diversity, youthful energy and playful approach to everyday life. These are qualities that reflect how luxury is becoming more personal, experiential and connected to the way people live,” says Pitsch.
EVA Air brings Maison Kitsuné’s French-Japanese lifestyle to Royal Laurel Class through a collaboration spanning amenity kits and loungewear
There is no longer a singular definition of luxury. As passions, culture, purpose, lifestyle and personal values increasingly shape what feels meaningful and premium, a much broader universe of brands is finding relevance within the passenger experience.
“For airlines, this makes understanding passengers at a deeper level increasingly important. What do they value? What are they passionate about? What cultures, lifestyles and experiences resonate with them? Bringing that understanding together with deep brand expertise is opening possibilities beyond the traditional luxury landscape — creating partnerships with genuine relevance and meaning for the passengers experiencing them,” says Pitsch.
