GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang Joined CNN to Discuss Quiet Skies and Business Travel Demand

GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang joined CNN’s Richard Quest on Friday, October 9, to discuss the Quiet Skies Act, which would ban passengers from making voice and video calls during flights. She also shared GBTA’s perspective on continued business travel demand, rising costs and the evolving airline experience.

On the question of inflight calls, Neufang emphasized the value of a quiet cabin for business travelers who need time to work or rest before an important meeting. She noted that legislation addressing the issue was passed in 2018 and said the focus now should be on implementation in the United States.

“For business travelers, we really just want to have a quiet cabin where we can get work done or get some rest before that really intensive meeting comes up,” Neufang said.

The conversation also covered strong travel demand and the changing airline experience. Neufang noted that global business travel spend is rising about 7% this year while volume is increasing approximately 1%, with constrained capacity, geopolitical uncertainty and higher costs among the industry’s leading concerns. She also highlighted continued investment by U.S. airlines in onboard products and the customer experience.

The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voted to advance the bill out of committee on September 15, 2026. The bill is currently awaiting further action or a vote on the full House floor before moving to the Senate.

Read GBTA’s statement in support of the Quiet Skies Act here.