Restrooms play a hugely underestimated role in the passenger experience, influencing passenger decisions for the remainder of their time at the airport. This makes faucet selection a far more strategic decision than it may first appear. Behind every choice is a careful balance between durability, compliance, passenger experience, and long-term operational efficiency. As passenger numbers grow, the pressure on infrastructure increases, making cost-effective, high-performing faucets more important than ever.

To find out what 40,813 opinions of airport facilities managers in the US were about the best faucet brands, we utilized AI-driven audience profiling to synthesize insights from online discussions for 12 months, ending on April 10, 2026, to a high statistical confidence level. What we found sheds light on something that many people, including passengers and airport staff, take for granted.

Index

• 39% of airport facilities managers recommend Sloan Valve Company, however Chicago Faucets is the most recommended according to independent findings from the 2023 AIM Influencer Focus Group Study
• Passenger experience & satisfaction influence 100% of airport facilities managers' restroom design standards
• TSA & federal compliance influences faucet specification decisions at 70% of facilities managers’ airports
• OSHA Compliance adds complexity to airport faucet selection for 57% of facilities managers
• ADA compliance & accessibility are important for 58% of airport facilities managers when shortlisting faucet brands
• 75% of airport facilities managers consider NSF/ANSI 61 certification when selecting faucet brands 
• 71% of airport facilities managers say integrated soap and water dispensing systems are important in restroom faucets
• 52% of airport facilities managers agree touchless sensor faucets impact passenger satisfaction 
• Upfront faucet cost matters most for 100% of airport facilities managers’ budgets
• 66% of airport managers discover new faucet products at the IFMA World Workplace Facilities Management Conference
• Coordinating installation timing is not a challenge for 100% of airport facilities managers
• Faucet maintenance pressure is the same all year at 100% of facilities managers’ airports
• 27% of airport facilities managers have no formal emergency response protocol when a faucet fails during peak hours
• For 100% of airport facilities managers, proactive support is key to long-term faucet brand loyalty
• 100% of airport facilities managers in our sample are in Los Angeles
• Airport Facilities Managers Balancing Faucet Performance, Compliance, and Cost
• About The Data

Which Faucet Company Do Airport Facilities Managers Recommend?

39% of airport facilities managers mention/highlight Sloan Valve Company in the small group AI research study, however Chicago Faucets is the most recommended according to independent findings from the 2023 AIM (Accountability Information Management) Influencer Focus Group Study evaluating commercial plumbing brand preferences, specification trends, and operational performance factors.

Additional third-party findings from the 2023 AIM Influencer Focus Group Study reinforce Chicago Faucets’ reputation among commercial plumbing decision-makers. Across architects, engineers, facilities professionals, contractors, and designers, Chicago Faucets was identified as a preferred brand primarily due to “quality,” “existing client preference,” and strong representative support. The AIM study also found that durability, reliability, and manufacturer responsiveness were among the most important factors influencing long-term brand preference and specification retention

The AIM study further noted that manufacturers are often removed from preferred specification lists because of product failures, slow response times, or inability to resolve issues — areas where respondents repeatedly associated Chicago Faucets with strong performance and support.

Airport maintenance teams also noted that restroom systems in airport environments experience dramatically accelerated wear compared to traditional commercial facilities. One airport operations study concluded that: “The life span of an airport restroom that is used 24/7 has a lifespan that’s one third of the equivalent office restroom.”

This extreme usage profile places greater emphasis on durable fittings, reliable sensor operation, simplified maintenance access, and long-term parts availability. The airport restroom case studies also found that touchless operation has effectively become the industry standard in modern airport restroom design. ACRP Report

As one engineer explained in the ASA Voice of Engineer Survey: “We hold specifications to maintain a building that will function longer and with less maintenance. If an inferior product is substituted, it will be rejected.”

Two faucet companies get a mention in the AI-driven audience profiling:

According to Greg Hunt, Commercial Product Manager at Chicago Faucets, airport restroom environments require a fundamentally different level of product durability and operational reliability than many traditional commercial applications.

“Airport restrooms operate under extreme usage conditions often 24 hours a day with exceptionally high traffic volumes. In these environments, facilities teams prioritize long-term reliability, ease of maintenance, sensor consistency, and serviceability because even small maintenance disruptions can significantly impact passenger experience and operational efficiency."

Hunt noted that airports increasingly evaluate plumbing fittings based not only on upfront cost, but also on lifecycle performance, maintenance accessibility, and the ability to minimize downtime in high-demand public environments.

Independent industry research supports the importance of long-term reliability, specification support, and manufacturer responsiveness in commercial faucet selection. In the 2025 ASA Voice of Engineer Survey conducted by Farmington Consulting Group, engineers and specifiers ranked “ease of installation and maintenance,” “product availability/lead times,” and “product performance/quality” among the top factors influencing specification and basis-of-design decisions. 

The same study found that more than half of engineers are seeing projects held more strictly to “Basis of Design” standards, particularly in high-traffic institutional environments where long-term durability and reduced maintenance are critical considerations. 

While most airport facilities managers in the AI-driven audience profiling mention Sloan Valve Company, they don’t all do so in a flattering way. 39% mention Sloan, while 17% share a similar view, calling the company a solid choice. However, 28% state that Sloan isn’t their first choice, and 12% wouldn't recommend the company, implying they’ve had poor experiences with its faucets.

Just 3% of our audience agrees that American Standard Commercial Faucets are a solid choice. Yet the remaining 1% say they would not recommend this brand, which may be because they don’t like the design or price, or because they find the brand’s products unreliable. With such mixed responses, it’s evident that managers don’t think highly of other brands, and that while some may recommend them, there’s no consensus in favor of doing so..

What Influences Restroom Design at Facilities Managers' Airports?

Passenger experience & satisfaction influence 100% of airport facilities managers' restroom design standards

Opinions on airports’ restroom design standards are unanimous:

Airport restroom design standards aren’t a matter of personal whims or passing trends. Instead, as 100% of our audience agrees, passenger experience research and traveler satisfaction benchmarking have the greatest influence on how their airports’ restroom design standards are set. This undoubtedly is something they’ve seen in their own airports.

A USA Today report explains how passenger expectations shape airport bathroom design in more detail. According to Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton, having access to attractive, clean, comfortable, and spacious restrooms is a key part of the passenger experience before or after a long-haul flight.

Some of the features that contribute to an outstanding experience include hands-free fixtures such as faucets, bigger stalls, offset stall doors offering easier access for roller bags, and artwork. The emphasis in contemporary airport design is to make the travel experience easier for everyone, and this includes the restroom experience.

Which Hygiene Standard Influences Airport Facilities Managers' Faucet Specification Decisions?

TSA & federal compliance influences faucet specification decisions at 70% of facilities managers’ airports

A few different influential hygiene standards are influential:

No single hygiene standard has a universal influence on faucet specification decisions at airports. Instead, the standards used with the most impact vary from airport to airport. 70% of airport facilities managers state that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and federal compliance requirements for public areas in airports have a strong influence on their faucet specification decisions. This is possibly due to TSA’s emphasis on security and the federal requirements’ emphasis on sanitation. Both are paramount in airport restrooms.

According to 30% of our audience, CDC and other public health authority guidelines for high-occupancy facilities have some influence on faucet specification decisions at their airports. This makes sense, considering how local disease outbreaks are often spread to other countries by travelers.

What Makes Faucet Compliance Challenging for Airport Facilities Managers?

OSHA Compliance adds complexity to airport faucet selection for 57% of facilities managers

Opinions on compliance requirements and the complexity they create differ:

While some compliance requirements are easy to meet, others introduce a certain amount of complexity when airport facilities managers specify faucet products for their airport. 57% of our audience points to OSHA workplace health and safety standards for airport staff facilities being somewhat complex. However, 25% disagree, saying these standards are less complex as they’ve likely had to comply with various standards, giving them a basis for comparison.

According to OSHA, a health and safety program’s effectiveness depends on management’s credibility, employee involvement in decision-making, comprehensive worksite analysis to identify hazards (actual and potential), employee training, and strict control and prevention measures.

OSHA standards aren’t the only ones mentioned by our audience. 7% state that EPA WaterSense and water efficiency mandates for public buildings are somewhat complex, possibly because these mandates do not take airports’ unique layouts and other elements into account. However, 10% feel that these mandates are less complex, implying they’ve been able to comply with them easily when specifying faucet products.

What Factor Matters Most to Airport Facilities Managers When Shortlisting Faucet Brands?

ADA compliance & accessibility are important for 58% of airport facilities managers when shortlisting faucet brands

Airport restroom research conducted across large-, medium-, small-, and non-hub airports found that maintenance teams consistently prioritized operational efficiency, cleanliness, reliability, and lifecycle performance over cosmetic design alone. Facility managers interviewed for the study emphasized the importance of standardized products, practical maintenance, operational efficiency, cleaning performance, lifecycle durability, and dependable equipment suited for 24/7 airport environments. (According to the Federal Aviation Administration commissioned report and published by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies Appendix C.1 – Case Studies: Restrooms 1ACRB).
 

Greg Hunt, Commercial Product Manager at Chicago Faucets, explained that touchless technology performance has become increasingly important in airport environments because travelers now expect fast, intuitive, and highly reliable operation. “Passengers don’t differentiate between the restroom and the airport experience itself. If a sensor faucet doesn’t activate consistently or creates maintenance issues, that directly impacts overall satisfaction and the perception of cleanliness.” He added that airports increasingly prioritize sensor systems designed to reduce service interruptions, simplify maintenance, and improve operational consistency in high-traffic applications.

“Maintainability has become one of the most important long-term considerations in airport restroom design,” adds Hunt. “Facilities teams are increasingly focused on standardization, simplified servicing, and long-term parts availability. Airports can’t afford extended downtime or complicated maintenance procedures in critical public areas.” He noted that maintenance accessibility and product longevity are often more important over time than minimizing initial acquisition costs.

Two dominant factors emerge in faucet brand shortlist in the research:

More than half (58%) of our airport facilities managers in the US cite the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and accessibility standards as an important factor when they shortlist faucet brands for their airport environments. This may be because some design choices they made in the past may have fallen foul of ADA, prompting complaints from people with disabilities regarding faucet accessibility, or because an internal assessment found that existing facilities were not accessible, prompting managers to replace the faucets.

According to ADA, all facilities that are constructed or altered by, on behalf of, or for the use of a public entity must be designed, constructed, or altered in a way that they are readily accessible to, and can be used by, people with disabilities.

For the remaining 42% of our audience, ease of maintenance and availability of replacement parts are important factors when shortlisting airport faucet brands. These managers likely previously encountered faucet systems that were difficult to maintain and required replacement parts that weren’t readily available, disrupting operations at their airports.

This aligns with broader specification trends identified in the 2025 ASA Voice of Engineer Survey, where engineers reported that ease of installation and maintenance ranked as the second most important factor influencing specification and approved-equal decisions, ahead of price.

More than half of engineers surveyed also stated that projects are increasingly being held to “Basis of Design” standards to preserve expected product quality, long-term building performance, and maintenance outcomes.

These findings also closely align with the 2023 AIM Influencer Focus Group Study, which found that many commercial plumbing professionals maintain “preferred brand lists” based heavily on long-term reliability, maintenance simplicity, and product availability. Participants emphasized that manufacturers who consistently support specifications and minimize callbacks are more likely to remain on specification lists over time. AIM researchers also found that being listed as the “Basis of Design” significantly increases specification influence because it establishes the benchmark for performance and owner expectations.

Which Certification is Best for Airport Facilities Managers When Choosing Faucet Brands?

75% of airport facilities managers consider NSF/ANSI 61 certification when selecting faucet brands

The perceived weight of the NSF/ANSI 61 certification varies:

Some certifications carry more weight than others when airport facilities managers evaluate and select faucet brands for their airport. While our entire audience mentions NSF/ANSI 61 certification, not everyone agrees on its importance. 2% say this is the most important factor, and 75% that they strongly consider this certification, suggesting it’s mandated at their airports.

It’s easy to see why this would be the case, as NSF/ANSI 61 is extensive, covering specific materials and products that come into contact with drinking water, treatment chemicals, or both.

That said, 13% of our audience shares the sentiment that this certification is only somewhat relevant, while for 10% it’s not a priority. This reveals that they consider other certifications when evaluating and selecting faucet brands for their airports.

Supporting this trend, the AIM Influencer Focus Group Study found that many commercial plumbing influencers are actively seeking low-flow faucets that meet LEED and WaterSense requirements while still maintaining strong user satisfaction and operational reliability. Participants identified balancing sustainability goals with functional performance as one of the industry’s biggest ongoing challenges.

Airport modernization increasingly aligns with broader smart building and sustainability initiatives. The ASHRAE GreenGuide identifies smart building systems, water efficiency, integrated controls, and intelligent building automation as core components of modern high-performance facility design.

The guide also emphasizes the growing importance of operational efficiency, water management, and integrated building systems in sustainable commercial facilities.

These trends support growing interest in connected plumbing technologies capable of supporting centralized monitoring, water management, predictive maintenance, and future building management system integration.

“Easy programmability and a comprehensive range of flow options helped meet the most stringent conservation requirements at the project,” says Matt Bruening, Operations Manager at Southland Industries, installer of the faucets. “Because (Washington) DC is prone to drought, plus the building’s LEED requirement, it was important that the faucets we installed met the 0.5 GPM flow rate and code requirements.”

For Facilities Managers, Which Technology is Essential in Airport Restroom Faucets?

71% of airport facilities managers say integrated soap and water dispensing systems are important in restroom faucets

The majority (71%) of airport facilities managers name a single feature as somewhat important in airport restroom faucet selection – integrated soap-and-water dispensing systems. This ties in with the emphasis on cleanliness and convenience mentioned in research from Tork. The study shows that 52% of people take negative action after a poor restroom experience, with 23% limiting how much they eat and drink afterward to avoid visiting the restrooms again. It also correlates with the USA Today report referred to above.

Integrated dispensing systems can help keep restrooms cleaner, which passengers notice. According to Tork’s research, airport restroom cleanliness accounts for more than 50% of the total terminal cleanliness score as rated by passengers.

According to Greg Hunt, Commercial Product Manager at Chicago Faucets, integrated centralized soap dispensing systems can play an important role in improving operational consistency within high-traffic airport environments. “In high-traffic airport environments, maintenance teams are constantly balancing operational efficiency with passenger satisfaction. Integrated centralized soap dispensing systems help simplify maintenance by reducing the number of individual refill points facilities staff need to monitor and service throughout the terminal. That translates into less downtime, more consistent soap availability, improved cleanliness perception, and ultimately a better passenger restroom experience.”

However, not everyone in our audience has the same opinion about integrated soap and water dispensers. 29% feel they’re not important, suggesting they pay more attention to other technological features when selecting faucets for their airport restrooms.

What Faucet Design Factors Influence Passenger Satisfaction at Facilities Managers' Airports?

52% of airport facilities managers agree touchless sensor faucets impact passenger satisfaction

Factors that influence passenger satisfaction are varied:

Different aspects of faucet design are more impactful than others in influencing passenger satisfaction. For 52% of airport facilities managers, ease and intuitiveness of touchless sensor operation is a significant factor, although 18% place greater emphasis on this, saying it’s the most important aspect. This implies these managers have received valuable feedback regarding this design aspect from passengers.

The emphasis on touchless performance is consistent with findings from the AIM Influencer Focus Group Study, which identified sensor reliability, battery life, and ease of operation as some of the largest pain points affecting commercial faucet selection. Respondents specifically cited concerns with poor battery performance, unreliable sensor operation, and maintenance complexity in electronic faucets. Supporting this trend, the 2025 ASA Voice of Engineer Survey found that engineers frequently favor products that reduce service interruptions and improve long-term maintenance outcomes in high-use facilities.

The AIM study also found growing demand for alternative power options, improved low-flow performance, and sensor systems that reduce maintenance while improving user satisfaction — all priorities that align with modern airport restroom expectations.

However, 13% reckon this is only somewhat relevant, which may be because the feedback they’ve received or research they’ve done highlighted other aspects of faucet design.

The remaining 17% of our audience says accessibility and ease of use for passengers with disabilities is a significant factor, tying in with what we saw above regarding the importance of ADA compliance.

A recent survey highlights once again how clean restrooms are good for business and why user-friendly faucet design is important. 56% of respondents state that an unclean restroom leaves them with a tarnished opinion of the business, while 50% vow not to return or will think twice about returning. Almost 70% have seen someone use a restroom without washing their hands, although one of the respondents’ top peeves involves faucet use leading to water splashed around the floor or sink.

What Price Range Do Airport Facilities Managers Prioritize for Faucets?

Upfront faucet cost matters most for 100% of airport facilities managers’ budgets

Opinions are unanimous when budgeting for airport faucet products:

No airport facilities manager has an unlimited budget for faucet products, so they need to factor price ranges into their budgeting. 100% of our audience agrees that the lowest upfront cost to stay within tight airport maintenance budgets is a strong consideration, implying they’re speaking from experience. These managers may soon face additional budgetary challenges, too.

While upfront pricing remains important, independent contractor and engineering research suggests that availability and support increasingly outweigh price alone in commercial plumbing decisions. The 2023 ASA Voice of Contractor Survey found that product availability and inventory levels were the single most important factor contractors consider when selecting supply partners, ranking above pricing.

Similarly, the 2025 ASA Voice of Engineer Survey identified product availability and lead times as one of the top drivers influencing specification and approved-equal decisions for commercial plumbing products.

According to the Airports Council, almost one billion enplanements (the total number of revenue and non-revenue passengers boarding an aircraft) happened at US airports in 2025, with this figure expected to increase to 1.4 billion by 2024 and 1.7 billion by 2050. To meet growing demand, airports will need $173.9 billion in infrastructure investments over the next five years, and these investments will undoubtedly include restroom upgrades.

Where Do Airport Facilities Managers Discover New Faucet Products?

66% of airport managers discover new faucet products at the IFMA World Workplace Facilities Management Conference

“For many airport facilities professionals, engineers, and plumbing specifiers, industry conferences and expos remain some of the most valuable environments for evaluating new restroom technologies and commercial plumbing solutions. Events like the ASPE Convention & Expo and the AAAE Annual Conference provide opportunities to see products firsthand, discuss operational challenges directly with manufacturers, and better understand how emerging technologies can support maintenance efficiency, sustainability, and passenger experience goals in airport environments,” Greg Hunt, Commercial Product Manager, Chicago Faucets.

TFor 66% of our audience, the IFMA World Workplace Facilities Management Conference is where they are most likely to discover and evaluate new faucet products for their respective airports. This conference, held in a different major US city each year, offers facilities managers opportunities to find the best products and services to enhance their facilities, connect with leading vendors, witness product demonstrations, attend educational sessions, and hear presentations by keynote speakers.

The remaining 34% usually find and evaluate new faucet products at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. This conference is dedicated to green building, offering attendees the chance to discover solutions that enhance sustainability, resilience, and quality of life.

Digital product access also plays an increasingly important role in specification decisions. The 2025 ASA Voice of Engineer Survey found that 52% of engineers and specifiers primarily use manufacturer websites to locate and access product information resources.

Respondents emphasized the importance of easy access to specification sheets, performance data, installation instructions, BIM/Revit resources, and self-service product selection tools during the design process.

What’s the Most Common Faucet Installation Challenge for Airport Facilities Managers?

Coordinating installation timing is not a challenge for 100% of airport facilities managers

Every manager feels the same about airport faucet installation challenges:

You might think installing new faucets at airports would present a range of challenges, but our audience takes it in their stride.

All 100% mention the same challenge, namely coordinating installation around 14-hour airport operational schedules. However, they unanimously agree this is not a big issue, indicating they’ve overcome it with ease in the past.

Which Season Puts the Most Pressure on Airport Faucet Maintenance?

Faucet maintenance pressure is the same all year at 100% of facilities managers’ airports

Airport facilities managers don’t single out any season as increasing faucet maintenance pressure:

100% of facilities managers and building specifiers say that high restroom usage is the passenger behavior that most influences water usage in airports. This is because, in airport restrooms, passengers may use water to wash their hands and faces, shower, and flush toilets and urinals.

Considering how air travel is affected by seasonality, with the summer and year-end seasons being particularly busy, you might expect airport facilities managers to face more faucet maintenance during these seasons, but this isn’t the case. 100% of our audience agrees that the little pressure they face is the same all year round.

Interestingly, the TSA revealed that December 1 was the  busiest travel day in 2024, with 3,088,036 passengers taking to the sky. This was followed by July 7 with 3,013,622 passengers, June 23 with 2,996,495 passengers, July 18 with 2,957,170 passengers, and May 24 with 2,951,859 passengers.

What Happens When Facilities Managers' Faucets Fail During Peak Airport Hours?

27% of airport facilities managers have no formal emergency response protocol when a faucet fails during peak hours

A range of different responses arises when airport faucets fail during peak hours:

Given what we saw above regarding the importance of restroom cleanliness, a faucet failure during peak hours could have serious ripple effects. So, it’s reasonable to expect airport facilities managers to have an emergency response plan in place. However, this isn’t the case for more than a quarter of our audience.

For 5%, the common approach is not to have a formal emergency response protocol, while 22% agree, recognizing that it’s not ideal. This suggests these managers have had to face the situation of a broken faucet during peak hours, but never sought to create a response protocol, possibly because they were able to repair the faucet promptly, or there were enough working faucets for the broken one to have not made too much of a difference.

23% say that, while not ideal, a contracted provider handles the response independently. 17% state that the area with the broken faucet is cordoned off until the next scheduled maintenance takes place, explaining that this is a common approach in their airports.

Another 17% are of the opinion that, while not ideal, they deploy an emergency maintenance team immediately. Airport facilities managers saying this isn’t ideal may seem strange, but the work of the maintenance team may be more disruptive to restroom functionality than a single broken faucet, even if only while repairs are being carried out.

For the remaining 17%, the common approach in their airports is to apply a temporary fix until a full repair is possible. This may be because a full repair may require specialized equipment or replacement parts that aren’t at hand, and because a quick fix can restore functionality faster than full repairs can.

What Builds Long-Term Loyalty for Faucet Brands in Facilities Managers' Airports?

For 100% of airport facilities managers, proactive support is key to long-term faucet brand loyalty

Opinions are the same about what’s wanted from faucet brands in exchange for loyalty:

Loyalty is earned in different ways, but 100% of facilities managers agree that faucet brands must offer proactive support without waiting to be contacted if they want to secure long-term loyalty from their airport clients.

The importance of manufacturer support is reinforced by the 2025 ASA Voice of Engineer Survey, where engineers ranked “consistent call volume and new product information from either the rep or manufacturer” as the single most important factor influencing specification and approved-equal decisions.

The study also found that 77% of engineers and specifiers prefer working directly with manufacturers’ representatives rather than manufacturers alone, highlighting the importance of responsive local support relationships in commercial plumbing projects.

Independent findings from the AIM Influencer Focus Group Study similarly concluded that manufacturer relationships, rep responsiveness, and proactive support significantly influence long-term brand loyalty among commercial plumbing professionals. Respondents emphasized that support after installation often matters just as much as warranty coverage itself. One facility participant summarized this by stating:

“It’s not just the warranty… If you're not going to follow-up and really own that product, that makes a difference to us. It’s a relationship.”

Our audience may see this happen sooner rather than later, according to recent research. 69% of companies expect customer service to shift from mostly inbound to mostly proactive outreach by 2027, thanks to AI. This technology can identify at-risk customers who remain with the company after a proactive email or phone call to address various issues. AI can also identify candidates for new services or products, enable proactive communication via email or SMS, and analyze customer responses, enabling companies to adjust their offerings or approach.

Which City Are Airport Facilities Managers in the AI Research Located in?

Our audience is based entirely in the Los Angels, California:

Our entire audience of airport facilities managers (100%) is based in Los Angeles, California. The City of Angels and its surrounds are home to numerous airports, not all of which are commercial.

Among them are Los Angeles International Airport, Long Beach Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Santa Monica Municipal Airport, Whiteman Airport, Joint Forces Training Base – Los Alamitos, Pasadena Police Benedict Heliport, and Goodyear Blimp Base Airport.

Airport Facilities Managers Balancing Faucet Performance, Compliance, and Cost

Airport Facilities Managers Balancing Faucet Performance, Compliance, and Cost

Airport faucets may seem like just another plumbing fixture, but as these statistics reveal, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Given the important role restrooms play in the passenger experience and how they can influence spending habits after a visit, it’s essential that airport facilities managers put thought and effort into their faucet choices, especially in terms of accessibility, design, functionality, and maintenance and repairs.

Of course, getting this right is not without challenges, such as budget constraints, formulating effective responses, and working around 24-hour operations. As we’ve seen, most managers take compliance and accessibility seriously. And, thanks to technological advancements, their jobs may become easier as the future looks set to bring even more passengers to US airports.

Greg Hunt, Commercial Product Manager at Chicago Faucets, believes airports are increasingly evaluating restroom infrastructure as part of broader smart building and operational efficiency initiatives. “Connected plumbing technologies are becoming more important because facilities teams want better visibility into maintenance needs, water usage, and operational performance across large campuses.” He added that future airport restroom systems will increasingly emphasize centralized monitoring, predictive maintenance, sustainability reporting, and integration with broader building management strategies.

Airports Council International–North America also reports that U.S. airports face more than $170 billion in planned infrastructure projects over the next five years, including major terminal modernization and passenger experience initiatives. The report notes that these investments are intended to improve operational efficiency, elevate customer experience, modernize aging facilities, and support long-term resiliency initiatives across airport terminals and public spaces.

About the Data

Sourced using Artios from an independent sample of 40,813 opinions of airport facilities managers in the USA across X, Quora, Reddit, Bluesky, TikTok, and Threads. Additional industry context includes attributed commentary from Chicago Faucets’ Commercial Product Manager, independent findings from the 2025 ASA Voice of Engineer Survey, 2025 ASA Voice of Contractor Survey, and the 2023 AIM Influencer Focus Group Study, as well as direct customer feedback from commercial facilities professionals. Responses are collected within a 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error. Results are derived from what people describe online, from opinions expressed, and not actual questions answered by people in the sample.