CANSO Global Safety Conference 2025

Following the success of the CANSO Global Safety Conference 2023, in Dublin, Ireland, CANSO’s Global Safety Community will meet again in in the beautiful city of Christchurch, New Zealand, on 24-28 March.
Kindly hosted by Airways New Zealand, the CANSO Global Safety Conference 2025 will see four days of debate, discussion, information sharing, discussion and networking, all with the aim of continuing to improve safety in aviation.
An introduction to our conference
The theme for the CANSO Global Safety Conference 2025 is “Enhancing Safety Through Knowledge Sharing, Skill Development, and Global Collaboration”.
Our conference will bring together professionals from diverse industries to engage in meaningful discussions and knowledge sharing on a wide range of safety topics. Through expert-led sessions, interactive workshops, and collaborative networking opportunities, attendees will gain valuable insights and practical strategies for improving safety within their organisations.
Key takeaways will include actionable steps for enhancing safety protocols, leveraging individual and collective skill sets, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to strengthen and expand their global safety network, enabling them to drive safety innovations, share best practices, and build stronger, more resilient safety frameworks across regions and industries.
Each day of the 2025 conference will have a different theme:
- Day 1: Safety in Practice – Leadership from a major event to Safety Management Systems and recovery
- Day 2: Safety Culture – focusing on different aspects of safety culture
- Day 3: Delivering Safety in our Future Skies – CATS the future of service to include AI and predictive risk
Our Programme
All events take place at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
Monday 24 March
12:00-17:00 | Early Registration | Conway Foyer First Floor |
12:00-13:00 | SSC SG and Chairs Lunch (by invitation only) | Bealey Foyer Ground Floor |
13:00-15:00 | Workgroup Chairs and Safety Standing Committee Steering Group Meeting (by invitation only) | Bealey 4 Ground Floor |
15:00-17:00 | Safety Standing Committee Steering Group Meeting (by invitation only) | Bealey 4 Ground Floor |
18:00-21:00 | Welcome Reception Dress Code: Business Casual | Christchurch Town Hall |
Tuesday 25 March
The Conway Rooms are on the first floor of the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
08:00-09:00 | Registration | Conway Foyer |
08:00-09:00 | Welcome Coffee sponsored by ![]() | Conway Foyer |
09:00-09:15 | Opening Ceremony | Conway |
09:15-09:20 | Welcome Speaker: John Wennes, Safety Programme Manager, CANSO | Conway |
09:20-10:40 | Introductory Remarks Speakers: Simon Hocquard, Director General, CANSO Capt. Norazman Bin Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer, CAA Malaysia, and CANSO Executive Committee Safety Champion Anthony MacKay, Vice President and Chief Safety & Quality Officer, NAV CANADA, and Chair, CANSO Safety Standing Committee Steering Group James Young, Chief Executive Officer, Airways NZ | Conway |
10:40-11:10 | Networking Break sponsored by ![]() | Conway Foyer |
11:10-12:10 | Keynote Address – JANS Haneda Briefing JANS provides an inside look into the 2 January 2024 runway incursion at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. They will provide background to, and findings from, the event and what has been done since to prevent future incursions. Understanding the overall lessons learned, how to deal with them during critical response, and why sharing lessons learned is important for the industry to move forward. Speaker: Takayuki Harada, Director, Air Traffic International Affairs Office, JANS | |
12:10-12:30 | GAPPRI – Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions Discuss the implementation of the GAPPRI recommendations, including CANSOs ongoing efforts and support tools. Session Objectives: * Understand how GAPPRI recommendations can have an impact on preventing runway incursions. * Recognise how holistic engagement among controllers, pilots, ground crews and management can enable a proactive approach to runway safety. * Discover how CANSO’s tools and resources can support collaborative runway safety efforts. Moderator: James Lewis, Senior Aviation Consultant, Think Research | Conway |
12:30-13:30 | Networking Lunch | Conway Foyer |
13:30-14:30 | Panel Discussion: Managing through Crisis Perspectives from executive leaders on how to deal with challenging situations and lessons learned from major incidents and the best way to move forward. With questions from the audience. panel members wil discuss restoring trust into the system after a catastrophic incident or dealing with significant equipment disruptions. Our panel will look deeper into dealing with challenges from the executive level and the impacts of their decisions to the public as well as to the ATCOs affected by the challenges. Session Objectives: Gaining insight to different leadership perspectives and how to manage through different expectations during an unexpected crisis Moderator: Andrea Sack, Director Safety, Security & Quality Management, Austro Control, Vice-Chair, and CANSO Safety Standing Committee Steering Group Panellists: Tim Arel, Chief Operations Officer, FAA ATO Alex Bristol, Chief Executive Officer, Skyguide James Evans, Acting General Manager Commercial, Airways NZ Takayuki Harada, Director, Air Traffic International Affairs Office, JANS | Conway |
14:30-15:15 | Best Practices in Safety Management Systems (SMS) This session will explore how CANSO members can leverage proven approaches to enhance their Safety Management System (SMS). It will cover: CANSO-recognised best practices in SMS: what they are, where to access them, and how to find out more. The process for awarding best practice recognition. Real-world examples of best practices Session Objectives: * Learn what qualifies as a CANSO-recognised best practice and the process behind best practice recognition * Discover practical, real-world examples to see how they can be applied effectively. * Gain insights into the benefits that best practices offer and how to leverage them at your ANSP Speakers Dianna Millar, Manager, Safety Strategy, Planning and Research, NAV CANADA Kim Nichols, General Manager Safety and Assurance, Airways New Zealand | Conway |
15:15-15:45 | Networking Break sponsored by ![]() | Conway Foyer |
15:45-16:15 | Pathway to Participation in Safety Management System SoE This session will provide concise practical guidance on the following specific elements of an SMS: * Safety Policy * Safety Accountabilities * Safety Risk Management * Change Management * Safety Investigations * Safety Promotion Session Objectives: * Learn how others went about implementation * Understand the benefit of implementing the SMS elements * Access to point persons to provide support for each element * Acquire knowledge to establish proof of implementation Speaker: Nicoli Gabbidon, Director Safety and Compliance, Jamaican Civil Aviation Authority | Conway |
16:15-17:00 | Workshop: The Convergence of Cyber Threat in the Aviation Enterprise Over the last several years, aviation has seen a significant influx of new technologies that have become, or are becoming, vital and integral to daily operations. Traditional aviation technologies like dedicated communications lines and navigation services are being replaced by IP-based networks, Voice Over IP (VOIP) systems, and software defined networks. Additionally, new entrants like automated air taxis and Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems are rapidly emerging as the “go-to” tech for the later part of this decade. And just like traditional IT, these technologies are enabling and driving organisations to become connected at a global scale. Meanwhile, threat actors like criminal and adversarial nation-states are ramping up their attacks against critical infrastructure, including aviation entities such as ANSPs and Airlines. Unfortunately, these events are converging at an ever-increasing rate, creating the perfect storm of cyber threats and risk for the aviation enterprise. Session Objectives: * What cyber threats are converging in the aviation enterprise * Why organisations can no longer view cybersecurity as an activity unique to the organisation but must view it as a global effort to maintain the safety and resiliency of the global aviation enterprise Speakers: Nick Fuller, VP Safety and Technical Training, FAA ATO Pete Clay, Senior Information Security Officer, Aireon LLC | Conway |
17:00-17:10 | Closing Remarks Speaker: Andrea Sack, Director Safety, Security & Quality Management, Austro Control, Vice-Chair, and CANSO Safety Standing Committee Steering Group | Conway |
19:00- 22:00 | Conference Dinner Dress Code: Semi Formal | Air Force Museum of New Zealand |
Wednesday 26 March
08:00-09:00 | Registration | Conway Foyer |
08:00-09:00 | Welcome Coffee sponsored by ![]() | Conway Foyer |
09:00-09:05 | Welcome Remarks Speaker: John Wennes, Safety Programme Manager, CANSO | Conway |
09:05-09:20 | Recap from Day 1 Speaker: Andrea Sack, Director Safety, Security & Quality Management, Austro Control, Vice-Chair, and CANSO Safety Standing Committee Steering Group | Conway |
09:20-10:05 | Keynote Address Our keynote speaker will discuss Fatigue in Air Traffic Operations specifically focusing on opportunities to enhance safety. Speaker: Dr. Hillary Bennett, Director, Leading Safety | Conway |
10:05-10:50 | Panel Discussion: Long Term Effects of Fatigue in the Workplace and how to Mitigate them With increased numbers in air traffic and increased complexity in operations, the pressure on air traffic controllers is growing. This pressure is accelerated by the fact that many ANSPs are struggling to attract new Air Traffic Controllers, meaning we increasingly must do more work with less staff. Air Traffic controllers must handle high stakes operations, where even the smallest mistake can have catastrophic consequences. The long-term wellbeing of air traffic controllers is at risk if we don’t take measures to actively and continuously manage fatigue in our operations. The risks of chronic fatigue are not well known for many organisations and may pose a risk to the safety and resilience of our operations. Session Objectives: * Share and learn what ANSPs are doing to manage fatigue and explore some best practice examples from the panellists * Talk about whether rulemaking is helping up manage and mitigate controller fatigue and whether current rules are sufficient * Understand the scientific and medical aspects of fatigue and especially chronic fatigue Moderator: Andrea Sack, Director Safety, Security & Quality Management, Austro Control, Vice-Chair, and CANSO Safety Standing Committee Steering Group Panellists Dr. Hillary Bennett, Director, Leading Safety Nick Fuller, VP Safety and Technical Training, FAA ATO Rachelle Leger, Director, Safety Strategy, Management and Integration NAV CANADA Shelly Sydney, Health and Safety Manager, Airways New Zealand Capt. Martin Timmons, Head of SMU, AirNav Ireland | Conway |
10:50-11:20 | Networking Break sponsored by ![]() | Conway Foyer |
11:20-12:05 | Joint Presentation on Safety Culture Austro Control, NAV CANADA and Skyguide combined safety knowledge and developed a methodology to measure and analyse Safety Culture across three countries using a combined methods approach, involving an online survey and facilitated online workshops. This approach includes analysis and visualisation techniques, utilising a Power BI dashboard and creating Safety Culture benchmarking opportunities. Additionally, the three ANSPs carried out joint safety exchange workshops, allowing key safety and ops roles to exchange best practices and ideas. Moderator: Bruno Ochin, Manager, Safety Research and Programs, NAV CANADA | Conway |
12:05-12:50 | Workshop: Human Performance Management in ATM: Getting Started and Conducting a Standards of Excellence Assessment: why now is the right time to start! This workshop will introduce participants to the critical elements of Human Performance Management (HPM) in Air Traffic Management (ATM). Attendees will explore how human factors shape safety, efficiency, and operational performance. The session will guide participants through creating a Human Performance Programme and Strategy, providing practical tools for identifying key performance areas and developing tailored solutions. A special focus will be on conducting a Standards of Excellence (SoE) Assessment, a structured framework that helps organisations evaluate and elevate their human performance. Practical case studies and interactive discussions will equip attendees with the knowledge to assess their current performance and initiate a comprehensive HPM programme. Session Objectives: * Key concepts in Human Performance Management in ATM * Step-by-step guidance on developing an HPM strategy * How to conduct a Standards of Excellence Assessment * Actionable insights for continuous improvement and alignment with safety objectives Moderator: Job Brüggen, Safety Officer, LVNL | Conway |
12:50-13:50 | Networking Lunch | Conway Foyer |
13:50-14:35 | Just Culture Refresh: A Global View of Safety Management Systems’ (SMS) Maturity Assessments A project team led by the Health, Safety & Wellbeing team undertook a comprehensive review of the Airways Just Culture Framework to ensure it reflects our organisational maturity and communicates what Just Culture means at Airways. This included representatives from across the business and our industry association partners. An external Safety Culture Leadership Subject Matter Expert (Dr Hillary Bennett, Director, Leading Safety) was consulted to review the framework and review outputs. Endorsement was also received from our professional associations. Speakers: Kim Nichols, General Manager Safety and Assurance, Airways New Zealand Jamie Gray, General Manager of People and Partnerships, Airways New Zealand | Conway |
14:35-15:00 | CANSO Annual Safety Performance Benchmark Every year for the last 10 years ANSPs submit IFR-IFR Losses of Separation and Runway Incursion data for benchmarking, as well as global and regional analysis. In 2024 the CANSO Safety Intelligence Work Group pioneered the development of a PowerBi, interactive dashboard for this data set. This presentation will showcase its high-level functionality as well as the practical applications from this tool as shared by one of the participating ANSPs. Session Objectives: * Learning about this new CANSO report platform offering * Instigate desire to increase participation * Learn how to apply the data in the ANSP context Presenters: Bruno Ochin, Manager, Safety Research and Programs, NAV CANADA Jocelin Greiner, Air Navigation Safety Expert, DSNA | Conway |
15:00-15:25 | Free Think Challenge Conference participants will be tasked in groups with solving problems to stretch the mind. The goal is help conference attendees network and collaborate within a group in order to challenge thinking about future safety needs. Session Objectives: * Leaving separation standard behind or * How do we double capacity without compromising safety * A future without voice comms * What AI-driven solutions can prevent mid-air traffic jams as air taxis and delivery drones flood city skies * The self-separation opportunity. Moderators: Dave Curtis, Safety and Sustainability Director, NATS Job Brüggen, Safety Officer, LVNL | Conway |
15:25-15:55 | Networking Break and continued Free Think discussion sponsored by ![]() | Conway Foyer |
15:55-16:15 | Free Think Challenge Debrief Each group will nominate a lead to debrief the conference on the proposed solution and what they learned from each other while collaborating as a team. | Conway |
16:15-17:00 | Ask the ExCom Anything Have you wondered why a decision was made at the executive level? Audience members are free to ask the ExCom anything. The safety conference is invited to ask questions in a non-formal and relaxed setting. It’s an opportunity to understand the reasons behind some decisions. Moderator: Anthony MacKay, Vice President and Chief Safety & Quality Officer, NAV CANADA, and Chair, CANSO Safety Standing Committee Steering Group Panellists: Simon Hocquard, Director General, CANSO Tim Arel, Chief Operations Officer, FAA ATO Alex Bristol, Chief Executive Officer, Skyguide and CANSO Executive Committee Chair Capt. Norazman Bin Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer, CAA Malaysia, and CANSO Executive Committee Safety Champion Ahmed Al Jallaf, Assistant Director General Air Navigation Services, UAE – GCAA | Conway |
17:00-17:10 | Closing Remarks Speaker Anthony MacKay, Vice President and Chief Safety & Quality Officer, NAV CANADA, and Chair, CANSO Safety Standing Committee Steering Group | Conway |
Thursday 27 March
08:00-09:00 | Registration | Conway Foyer |
08:00-09:00 | Welcome Coffee sponsored by ![]() | Conway Foyer |
09:00-09:05 | Welcome Remarks Speaker: John Wennes, Safety Programme Manager, CANSO | Conway |
09:05-09:20 | Recap from Day 2 Speaker: Andrea Sack, Director Safety, Security & Quality Management, Austro Control, Vice-Chair, and CANSO Safety Standing Committee Steering Group | Conway |
09:20-10:05 | Keynote Address – Future of AAM Eve is dedicated to accelerating the Urban Air Mobility ecosystem. Benefitting from a start-up mindset, backed by Embraer S.A.’s more than 50-year history of aerospace expertise, Eve is taking a holistic approach to progressing the UAM ecosystem, with an advanced eVTOL project, a comprehensive global services and support network and a unique air traffic management solution. The keynote address will discuss creating safe, sustainable, accessible air mobility experiences and the important role of future ATM services to enable AAM. To include Question and Answer Session Objectives: * The role of ATM in enabling future air mobility operations * Understanding the roadmap for how ATM services for AAM will evolve over time * How dedicated Urban ATM services can help improve safety in the urban environment Speaker: Dr. Rob Weaver, Urban ATM Global Business Development Lead, Eve Air Mobility | Conway |
10:05-10:30 | Complete Air Traffic System – CATS ask me anything! A question-and-answer session to gauge knowledge from the audience on CATS and how it fits into safety. The questions and answers will help frame the panel discussion to follow and debunk any myths and misunderstandings. Moderator: Michelle Bishop, Director of Programmes, CANSO Speaker: Dr. Eduardo García, Senior Manager Future Skies, CANSO | Conway |
10:30-11:00 | Networking Break sponsored by ![]() | Conway Foyer |
11:00-11:45 | Panel Discussion – Integrating CATS into the future with both Ops and Safety What is the strategic vision going forward and the futute of CATS? In this interactive session, you will receive the latest updates on the Complete Air Traffic System (CATS) Global Council. We invite you to actively participate, engage in discussions, pose challenges, and share your insights. Let’s explore how CANSO and the Safety Community can contribute to this global vision and shape the future of ATM Moderator: Michelle Bishop, Director of Programmes, CANSO Panellists: Dr. Rob Weaver, Urban ATM Global Business Development Lead, Eve Air Mobility Dr. Eduardo García, Senior Manager Future Skies, CANSO Avinash Pinto, Senior Principal Safety Evolution, MITRE Nicki Harricharan, Operations Programme Manager, CANSO | Conway |
11:45-12:05 | State of the Industry Report: ANSP Application of LLMs and GenAI in SMS and Safety Analytics Generative Ai and LLMs have emerged as powerful tools in the realm of safety analytics, offering unprecedented capabilities in data analysis, prediction, risk assessment, and workflow efficiencies. In 2024 CANSO and MITRE conducted a survey from a sample of the CANSO membership to gauge the adoption and impact of these novel technologies in their organisations. This presentation will provide a summary of key observations, including valuable insights on implementation strategies, challenges faced, and success stories. Presenters: Bruno Ochin, Manager Safety Research and Programs, NAV CANADA Dr. Eugene Mangortey, Group Leader – AI Safety Intelligence and Assurance, MITRE | Conway |
12:05-12:30 | GNSS Spoofing and Jamming Incidents of Global Positioning System/Global Navigation Satellite System (GPS/GNSS) jamming and spoofing have increased dramatically in the past few years and are expected to continue increasing in the future, and it is important for ANSPs to be aware of the increasing risk to aviation and to develop procedures to follow in the event of GNSS interference. The issue has been raised at recent ICAO conference, and CANSO desires to “lean into” this threat to help develop mitigations. Session Objectives: * Importance of awareness of GNSS threats * Types and examples of interference that are occurring * Areas where there are high incidents of GNSS, but it is increasing in areas that are outside conflict areas, as well * Preparation for GNSS events: need for procedures and processes to follow in the event of GNSS anomalies * Road ahead: CANSO work to begin soon – soliciting participation Presenter: Britt McNeill, Group Manager, Safety Analysis, FAA ATO | Conway |
12:30-13:30 | Networking Lunch | Conway Foyer |
13:30-14:15 | Returning to Service after a Cyber Incident – CSWG While we do all we can to prevent becoming a victim of a cyber attack, the reality is that even the best defences can be breached, for a variety of reasons. In this session, we talk through a potential scenario of discovering an attack which impacts service, and the steps needed to recover from that situation. Session Objectives: *Understanding how to regain confidence in technical systems, system management processes and cyber defences after falling victim to a cyber attack *Setting expectations for what needs to be considered when take the decision to re-enter service, and techniques we can use to turn a bad day into a learning experience. Presenter: Andy Boff, Chief Technology Officer, Egis Pete Clay, Senior Information Security Officer, Aireon LLC | Conway |
14:15-15:00 | Workshop Application of AI in SMS and Safety Analytics: From ML to LLM and GenAI Building upon the plenary session presentation, as ANSPs embark on a journey through the cutting-edge landscape of artificial intelligence, this workshop will explore the transformative potential of these technologies, particularly in safety analytics and safety management systems (SMS). This session is designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of LLMs and GenAI, from their fundamental concepts to practical implementations. Session Objectives: * Demystifying LLMs and GenAI, exploring their architecture, training processes, and core functionalities * Real world benefits * Examples of real-world applications in the context of an ANSP’s SMS Presenter: Dr. Eugene Mangortey, Group Leader – AI Safety Intelligence and Assurance, MITRE | Conway |
15:00-15:30 | Networking Break sponsored by ![]() | Conway Foyer |
15:30-16:15 | Predictive Risk Management in Air Traffic Control This session will explore how Predictive Risk Management (PRM) leverages advanced data analytics and machine learning to help Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) proactively address the challenges of increasing air traffic complexity and operational safety risks. It will cover: * The concept of PRM and its relevance for ANSPs * Core principles and methodologies of predictive risk management * An implementation framework and key considerations * Real-world examples of PRM in action Session Objectives: * Learn what PRM is and how it applies to ANSPs. * Understand the principles and benefits of PRM. * Gain insights into implementation strategies. * Get an overview of case studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of PRM in enhancing safety and efficiency. * Hear from a panel of experts sharing their perspectives and experiences. Moderator: Heather Harris-Aguirre, Sr. Policy Advisor – Airspace Integration & Safety Management Systems, Northrop Grumman Panellists: Job Brüggen, Safety Officer, LVNL Dave Curtis, Director Safety and Sustainability, NATS UK Britt McNeill, Group Manager, Safety Analysis, FAA ATO | Conway |
16:15-16:45 | Closing Remarks Speakers: Anthony MacKay, Chair, CANSO Safety Standing Committee Steering Group Capt. Norazman Bin Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer, CAA Malaysia, and CANSO Executive Committee Safety Champion | Conway |
16:45-17:00 | Closing Ceremony | Conway |
Friday 28 March
09 00-09:30 | Welcome Coffee | Conway Foyer |
09:30-12:30 | Human Performance Management Workgroup Meeting (by invitation only) | Conway |
09:30-12:30 | Safety Intelligence Workgroup Meeting (by invitation only) | Conway |
09:30-12:30 | Cyber Safety Workgroup Meeting (by invitation only) | Conway |
09:30-12:30 | Next Gen SMS Workgroup Meeting (by invitation only) | Conway |
12:30-13:30 | Workgroup Meetings Networking Lunch | Conway 5 |
13:30-16:00 | Workgroup Meetings Continued | Conway |
16:00-16:30 | Coffee Break | Conway Foyer |
16:30-17:00 | Workgroup Brief Out on 2025 Workplans | Conway |
If you would be interested in attending one of these workgroup meetings, please email Safety@CANSO.org.
Conference Venue and Accommodation
Our CANSO Global Safety Conference 2025 will be held at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre.

Hotels
CANSO has negotiated special bed and breakfast rates at three hotels, all within easy walking distance of the conference centre.
Crowne Plaza Christchurch:
To book, click the link above and then scroll down the page to enter the dates you require. Do not change the rate preference option, then click Book Now when you have entered your dates. The room rate should be NZD 355 plus 15 per cent tax (approximately 207 EUR total). If this rate does not appear do not complete your booking and contact Events@CANSO.org with your desired booking dates.
The discount rate is valid until Friday 28 February. Rooms cancelled within 29 days of arrival will be subject to a 100 per cent cancellation fee.
Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square and Ibis Christchurch
Both of these hotels are offering a 15 per cent discount on their rates, with no booking deadline. Book either hotel here.
Important Visa and Other Travel Information
Check whether or not you need a visa or electronic NZeTA to visit New Zealand here.
Apply for your NZeTA or visa here.
If you need a visa letter, please email Events@CANSO.org with your Title, Name(s), Job title, Organisation, Passport Number, your City and your Country.
Traveller declaration
Regardless of your visa status, all travellers must fill in this form.
Tour Airways New Zealand Facilities
On Monday 24 March our hosts, Airways New Zealand, are organising tours of their facilities in Christchurch.
The tours will be at the following times: 09:30–11:30, 12:00–14:00, 14:30–16:30.
Please indicate on the registration form which tour you would like to attend and we will contact you. Please note that places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Should none of the timeslots work for you, please click “I would like to join but cannot make it on Monday.”
About the tour
In October 2023, Airways New Zealand transitioned its surveillance teams to two new, disaster-resilient, buildings and, at the same time, transitioned to a more resilient and flexible ATS system, Skyline X. In March 2024, this project achieved global recognition when it won the Overall Excellence Award at CANSO’s Air Traffic Management Awards 2023.
Airways New Zealand invites you to see for yourself how the company has introduced greater resilience, flexibility and adaptability into its operations with a tour of its Christchurch Surveillance Centre, as well as the Airways International training operations.
The new buildings are Importance Level 4, designed to withstand all but the most severe natural disasters. The driver for this construction was the devastating Christchurch earthquake in 2011. The Christchurch surveillance centre is named Te Whare Ao Rangi (the world of the sky) and is an excellent example of purpose-driven design with a number of unique design elements to enable us to keep our skies open during a natural disaster.
The tour will include three components – the Christchurch Air Traffic Operations, (Surveillance), the Technical facilities that support the Surveillance centre and Airways International SIM training facilities (which trains air traffic controllers for both the domestic and international market. There you will see some of the training innovations that enable more flexible training options).



Practical Information
Location
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand. Its traditional Māori name is Ōtautahi (pronounced Oar-toe-ta-he). The city is built along the Avon River and has undergone significant redevelopment following major earthquakes in 2010 and 2021.
Conference Venue
Our Global Safety Conference will be held at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
The conference facilities address is:
188 Oxford Terrace,
Christchurch,
8140

Transportation
If you are staying in the Christchurch CBD, it is a flat walk from most hotels to Te Pae.
From the airport, there are a range of options:
- Regular Metro bus services (some are 100% electric zero emissions) connect the airport to the city centre and many other locations in Christchurch
- Taxis and Shuttles
- Rental Cars
- Rideshare options (eg Uber)
Visa information
Please tick yes on the registration form if you require a visa invitation letter from CANSO.
If you need an invitation letter and other accompanying documents from the Host, Airways New Zealand, please email Events@CANSO.org with your Title, Name(s), Job title, Organisation, Passport Number, your City and your Country.
Time zone
The time zone in Christchurch is UTC 13:00
Language
New Zealand has three official languages. English is one of the official languages and the most widely spoken. The others are Te Reo Māori and New Zealand sign language.
Currency
The official currency of New Zealand is the New Zealand dollar (NZ$)
Bank/Credit Card
New Zealand has one of the highest credit card and eftpos usages in the world so there is no need to carry large amounts of cash.
Travelex is available at Christchurch Airport on your arrival
Tipping
Tipping is not customary or expected for most services. Restaurants may offer the opportunity to provide a tip when paying but it is not expected to do so.
If you do choose to give a tip in New Zealand, the amount is up to you, but it is usually around 10% of the meal. It is also common to simply round the price up to the nearest $10 amount.
Safety
Christchurch is generally a safe city to explore with locals extending a warm welcome to visitors. You are advised to exercise similar precautions to those you would at home and remain aware of your surroundings.
New Zealand sits on several geographical fault lines and while earthquakes are common across the country, the vast majority are very weak and go unnoticed by most people. In the highly unlikely event that you experience a significant earthquake during your stay in Christchurch, the city, emergency services and the infrastructure are well-prepared, and you will be provided with clear instructions.
Electricity
New Zealand uses type I plugs, the same as Australia and the Pacific Islands. The voltage is 230/240 volts (50Hz).
If you have an appliance with any other type of plug, you will need an adaptor.
Wi-FI
Complimentary Wi-Fi is available for guests attending the CANSO Global Safety Conference 2025.
Climate
In March it will be Autumn (Fall) which is typically warm days and cool nights. The temperature during the day will typically be around 17-21°C (62-70°F) but can start to reach single figures at night (down to 6°C (43°F). Layers are recommended at this time of year including a warm jacket for evenings.
Emergency contacts
If you have an emergency and need a quick response from the Police, the Fire Service, Ambulance or Search and Rescue, dial 111. This is a free phone call if you are in New Zealand.
If you require non-urgent health advice while you are in New Zealand, you can call Healthline on 0800 611 116 ( 64 800 611 116 from an overseas mobile phone). This is a free service provided by expert clinicians. You may incur charges if you call from your overseas mobile phone.
International dialling code
The dialling code in New Zealand is 64, and the area code for landlines in Christchurch is 03.
Mobile/ cell phone roaming
New Zealand has mobile phone coverage across most of the country. Mobile phones that use the GSM network can be used either with roaming data or with a local SIM card purchased on arrival.
Register here
Registration for the CANSO Global Safety Conference 2025 is open to all members of CANSO’s Safety Community and any other interested CANSO Members. Attendance of the conference will cost Euro 200 per person. Please complete the registration form below.