Resilient skies: developing sustainable key performance indicators for airport operation and maintenance under public–private partnership frameworks in Egypt

The Egyptian airport sector has faced an 18% gap in operation and maintenance (O&M) efficiency relative to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) benchmarks. This gap has driven a strategic shift toward Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to improve efficiency and attract private investment. This study develops sustainable key performance indicators (KPIs) for O&M agreements at Egyptian airports. A mixed-methods approach identified 41 KPI and categorized them into the environmental, economic, social, and urban dimensions. These indicators were evaluated through a questionnaire distributed to 40 academic and professional experts. Scale reliability was confirmed (overall Cronbach’s α = 0.892). Results were analyzed using means and standard deviations and the Mann-Whitney U test to compare the two independent expert groups. Statistical analysis revealed no significant perceptual divergence between academic and professional experts across all indicators (P > 0.05), indicating similar evaluation patterns across stakeholder groups. Consequently, 25 priority KPIs were identified, achieving a rating (mean > 3.4). Notably, the urban dimension exhibited the highest density of priority KPIs (70%), led by spatial efficiency (U1) and circulation efficiency/permeability (U10). No rank difference between the two groups (P=1.000) was obtained for service quality (Ec1), confirming a value-driven model. Integrating these KPIs into a conceptual managerial logic model (Interdependent Value Chain) transforms airports from transit points into dynamic urban gateways, enhancing operational efficiency and long-term asset resilience. In practice, the framework provides policymakers, airport authorities, and private operators with an expert-assessed benchmark for designing and monitoring future O&M concessions in Egypt and similar emerging markets.