MSM.digital: Taking inflight XR to the next level

MSM.digital – a Gold Sponsor of APEX FTE EXPO, taking place in Singapore on 18-19 November 2026 – develops and integrates immersive technology solutions for the aviation industry, with a strong focus on inflight entertainment and the passenger experience.

“Our role goes beyond creating XR experiences,” explains Moritz Engler, Commercial Director AR/VR & Inflight Lead, MSM.digital. “We work closely with airlines and technology partners to make immersive solutions practical for real-world aviation environments, addressing everything from content and passenger usability to safety, cabin operations, device management and commercial models. Over the past years, we have been able to demonstrate with airline partners that passengers respond very positively to immersive experiences. The next step is making these experiences easier to operate and scalable across larger fleets.”

Showcasing the next generation of aviation XR

At APEX FTE EXPO, MSM.digital and PICO will offer airlines an exclusive look at the next generation of aviation XR. Through private demonstrations at Booth 1017, airline teams can experience how immersive and mixed reality can evolve beyond individual use cases into a scalable passenger experience platform. The demonstration brings together next-generation XR technology with premium entertainment, interactive experiences, airline operations, safety and new commercial opportunities. It builds on real-world learnings from aviation deployments and is designed specifically around the requirements of airlines.

“APEX FTE EXPO brings together exactly the people we want to have this conversation with: airlines, airports, technology companies and the teams shaping the future passenger experience,” says Engler. “Singapore is particularly important for us because we will be showcasing the next generation of our aviation XR offering together with our technology partner PICO. Our goal is not simply to demonstrate technology. We want to discuss with airlines how immersive experiences can become a realistic part of future inflight entertainment and passenger engagement strategies, and what is required to deploy them at scale.”

For MSM.digital the direction is very clear: making immersive experiences more accessible, more comfortable and significantly easier for airlines to deploy and operate.

“The first generation of inflight XR demonstrated that there is real passenger interest in immersive entertainment,” Engler shares. “It also taught us a great deal about what needs to improve for larger-scale adoption. Together with PICO, we are now applying those learnings to the next generation of our aviation XR solution. We are looking at the complete experience, from immersive and mixed reality content to operational integration, safety and the commercial model behind it. We cannot reveal the technology behind the experience yet, but we will offer airlines private demonstrations at APEX FTE EXPO in Singapore.”

Unlocking new possibilities for inflight entertainment and passenger engagement

Moritz Engler, Commercial Director AR/VR & Inflight Lead, MSM.digital: “We work closely with airlines and technology partners to make immersive solutions practical for real-world aviation environments, addressing everything from content and passenger usability to safety, cabin operations, device management and commercial models.”

As airlines continue to explore new approaches to inflight entertainment and passenger engagement, XR can create experiences for passengers that simply cannot be replicated on a conventional screen. “That can range from immersive entertainment and gaming to destination experiences, relaxation, sports and entirely new forms of interactive content,” Engler explains. “For airlines, the opportunity goes beyond entertainment. Immersive platforms can create new premium experiences and new opportunities around partnerships, sponsorship, commerce and destination content. The important point is that XR should not replace everything that already works. We see it as an additional digital experience layer that gives airlines completely new possibilities to engage passengers.”

Beyond the technology itself, there are key considerations in making immersive experiences practical for airlines to adopt and deliver at scale. “A great XR experience alone is not enough,” says Engler. “On an aircraft, you have to think about safety, limited cabin and galley space, battery management, cleaning, storage, crew handling, content rights, device management and many other operational requirements. These are lessons we have gathered from years of working with airlines and from real passenger deployments. Our role is to bring those aviation requirements directly into the development process with technology partners such as PICO. Instead of adapting consumer technology to aviation afterwards, the goal is to consider the requirements of the aviation environment from the beginning. That is ultimately what will determine whether immersive technology remains a collection of interesting trials or becomes a scalable passenger product.”

APEX FTE EXPO: Bringing together airlines, airports and technology companies

APEX FTE EXPO attendees can discover more at Booth 1017, where together with PICO, MSM.digital will be offering private demonstrations of the next generation of its aviation XR experience and discussing what immersive passenger experiences could look like at scale.

“What we value most about APEX Future Travel Experience events is the quality of the conversations,” Engler shares. “They bring together airlines, airports and technology companies that are actively looking at what the next passenger experience could look like. This year is particularly exciting for us because we can share the next step in a journey we have been working on for many years. We have learned a great deal from previous inflight XR deployments, and Singapore gives us the opportunity to discuss where the technology goes from here.”

Engler adds that MSM.digital’s message is simple: “The first generation proved the experience. The next generation is about making it scalable. We look forward to showing airlines what that next step can look like in Singapore.”

Learn more about MSM.digital in the Tech & Innovation Tour focused on Airport Technology & Pre-Travel, which takes place in the APEX FTE EXPO exhibition at 15:00-15:30 on 18 November 2026. Our popular Tech & Innovation Tours on the exhibition floor allow attendees to join guided tours and meet exhibitors with relevant products, services and concepts to learn more about the subjects they are most interested in.

Hear more from MSM.digital at APEX FTE EXPO (Singapore, 18-19 November 2026). Moritz Engler, Commercial Director AR/VR & Inflight Lead, MSM.digital, is participating in a session focused on ‘How the latest ancillary revenue trends are redefining travel booking, loyalty, engagement and experiences’.