The BBC reports than in 2011 PIA had 18,000 employees but only 40 aircraft - that's 450/aircraft. No wonder it's in financial problems with increasing losses.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24999784

Well that's a bit of a quick conclusion to jump to without knowing what the number is at comparable airlines (110 people / plane for Delta in case you're wondering) and how much they have to pay all those people. Having done some Googling it does seem rather high though.

the comparable figures of employees per aircraft for US airlines in 2011 were:

 

United 119

Delta 113

American 109

US Airways 93

SouthWest 63

JetBlue 71

Alaska 76

 

I think having about 4 times the number of employees per aircraft may have an effect on the PIA's steadily increasing losses.

Depends; if the US airlines have to pay their staff 4 times as much (including benefits) then the costs will be the same. US GDP/capita is definitely more then 4 times Pakistan's, but I have no idea how airline employee salaries compare.

International salary levels are irrelevant in relation to losses. That level of overstaffing must increase costs and so reduce profits .

 

Anyway, the real situation is even worse;

 

Pakistan International Airlines, with only 24 serviceable Aircrafts but on permanent strength of more than 19,000 employees and 600 pilots is undergoing huge financial loss of Rs 3.3 billion a month

 

 

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/business/27-Oct-2013/operating-pia-on-public-private-partnership

 

That's about 790 employees and 25 pilots per operational aircraft.