Qantas said employees affected by the cuts would be redeployed "where possible". Photo: @Qantas
Qantas to outsource 850 corporate jobs to Accenture, most positions likely to move to India
The Australian airline plans to transfer jobs across finance, HR, procurement and marketing from mid-2027 as it expands the use of AI
Australian airline Qantas reportedly plans to move 850 corporate jobs to consulting firm Accenture, with most of the positions expected to shift to India. The move comes as the carrier steps up spending on artificial intelligence (AI) and prepares to overhaul its technology systems.
Job cuts to start in mid-2027
The job cuts are scheduled to begin in mid-2027. Finance, procurement, human resources and marketing teams will be affected, with the work moving "mostly" to India and "some in Australia," reported the BBC.
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In an internal email to employees on Tuesday (November 10), Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson acknowledged the uncertainty facing staff.
"This is hard news for some and I'm sorry for the uncertainty it brings", she said.
Accenture deal to change corporate operations
Hudson said the pace of developments in technology and AI had prompted the airline to rethink how its corporate departments operate.
The company has signed a multi-year agreement with Accenture. Hudson said the arrangement would involve "modernising" Qantas's IT systems and making operations "more efficient".
Qantas spends more than AU$1 billion (US$691 million; £514 million) annually on technology. Hudson said several of its existing systems needed an overhaul.
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"Like every airline, we run on technology built up over decades for a different era, including more than 1,000 legacy applications that were never designed to work together," she said.
Under the agreement, the airline plans to reduce overlapping work across departments.
"We will redesign and simplify parts of how our corporate functions work and reduce duplication", Hudson said. The aim, she added, was to let employees "spend more time on work that creates value for our customers and the business".
The company said Accenture's work would be "transformed further with automation and AI" over time.
Staff redeployment planned where possible
Qantas said employees affected by the cuts would be redeployed "where possible". This could include new positions in Australia. The announcement follows a market update from the airline days earlier, when it flagged higher fares and fewer flights amid rising fuel costs.
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Qantas has around 28,000 employees in Australia and another 4,000 overseas. The airline said thousands of its workers already use AI in their daily duties.
Hudson said the company was discussing the proposed changes with employees and unions.