Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport are piloting new “Smart Restroom” systems designed to improve restroom cleanliness and service efficiency.
The devices are currently installed near the restrooms at D9 and A17 at George Bush Intercontinental and by gates 29 and 30 at William P. Hobby. Travelers can register their satisfaction using simple happy and sad face buttons. If a user selects the sad face, the system prompts them to specify the issue, such as a dirty stall, wet floor, missing toilet paper, or other concerns.
In addition to user feedback, the Smart Restroom system uses sensors to monitor traffic into specific restrooms. When a restroom reaches a preset number of users, custodial staff receive an alert so they can clean the facility promptly.
“Passengers have repeatedly told us through customer survey results that clean and modern restroom facilities rank at or near the top of their priority list,” said Mario Diaz, aviation director for the Houston Airport System, who is overseeing the pilot.
“This pilot program shows we’re listening and taking action. By combining the efforts of our custodial teams with this technical tool, we expect to deliver a noticeably improved customer experience,” he added.
The Houston Airport System will evaluate the technology over the coming months and plans to expand the program to additional locations shortly.