Designing a World-Class Look for the CANSO Conference with Airways

When a global aviation leader like Airways New Zealand hosts an international conference in Christchurch, you better believe the visuals have to take flight. Cue The Little Hire Company—brought in to elevate the guest experience through bold, branded event design that delivered maximum impact.

We were proud to design two key events for the CANSO Global Safety Conference 2025: the Welcome Event at the iconic Christchurch Town Hall, and the Gala Dinner at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

With guests flying in from around the world, this wasn’t just a conference—it was a chance to showcase our city, our creativity, and how impactful event planning can be when great design leads the way.

CANSO Conference in NZ

The Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) represents air traffic management bodies worldwide. Their 2025 Global Safety Conference, hosted by Airways New Zealand, brought together international delegates to focus on safety, innovation, and collaboration across the skies.

From March 25–28, the conference spanned some of Christchurch’s most celebrated venues, including Te Pae, Town Hall, and The Air Force Museum. We were brought on board to deliver the full event design experience across key moments of the programme—creating bold, cohesive environments that reflected the Airways brand and elevated the entire guest journey.

Welcome Event — Christchurch Town Hall

We took Airways’ blue-and-white branding and ran with it—starting with a blue carpet welcome flanked by blue velvet rope bollards. Inside, we incorporated event planning principles into our design approach: wayfinding, comfort, lighting, and photo moments were all purposefully considered.

Branding was key, so we custom-vinyled our Aston Leaners and lit the Light Orbs in Airways’ signature blue.

The lounge zones featured our Lucy Lounging collection in Ocean Blue, softened with luxe cushions for a high-end yet relaxed feel. The white Hampton Bar Chairs added a fresh contrast and a touch of natural texture.

Florals were full and sophisticated—white and blue hydrangeas and roses created softness and visual interest, while white table lamps added an extra layer of ambient light. The result? A space that felt thoughtful, stylish, and unmistakably Airways.

Gala Dinner — The Air Force Museum

For the Gala Dinner at the Air Force Museum, we kept the experience cohesive—but dialled up the drama.

Guests were again welcomed via blue carpet and velvet roped bollards, with glowing Light Orbs lining the entry to create a runway effect.

Inside the hangar, we styled black-clothed tables with branded acrylic vessels (wrapped in the Airways logo) and internal blue lighting to bring them to life. We used abundant white florals to contrast beautifully against the black linens and soften the industrial space.

To bring scale and warmth, we placed clusters of living trees in crisp white pots—framing the stage and entry points with organic greenery. We also designed a dramatic photo moment in front of one of the museum’s aircraft, complete with orbs, trees, and a large branded vinyl decal on the floor.

This was event planning done through a design lens: intentional, immersive, and built to leave a lasting impression.

"The room set up really added to the wow factor and the delegates were really impressed.
Thanks so much to both of you and your team for your help with our events this week.
Everything looked fantastic. Really appreciate all your hard work."

— Sue Henderson, Airways Senior Internal Communications Advisor

Want Your Event to Look as Good as It Runs?

You handle the logistics—we’ll handle the vibe. From corporate celebrations to multi-day conferences, our team brings the creative direction, hire collections, and styling know-how to elevate any brief.

If you’re planning an event and want your visuals to wow international guests, local leaders, or your own team—start by visiting our Events page or getting in touch.

That’s the power of great event planning—when great design is part of the plan.

Get in touch now and let’s design your event.