In brief

• Qantas will cut about 850 corporate jobs in Australia through a multi-year technology deal with Accenture.
• Most of the transferred work will go to India, with cuts starting in mid-2027.
• The airline says it is upgrading back-end systems and increasing AI spending, with over AU$1bn a year on technology.

Job cuts tied to a multi-year Accenture deal

Qantas has agreed a multi-year technology contract with the professional services firm Accenture. The deal will remove roughly 850 positions in Australia (AI-czystka. Gigant odprawia z kwitkiem 850 pracowników – Bankier.pl) (Qantas to cut 850 Australian jobs and outsource work to India under AI-driven overhaul – The Guardian). The airline says the overhaul is needed to upgrade its core systems, internal processes and data as it spends more on technology and AI.

Chief executive Vanessa Hudson informed staff in an internal email that the announcement was hard for some employees and expressed regret for the uncertainty it brings (Qantas to outsource 850 local jobs with most roles moving to India – BBC News). Reductions are due to start in mid-2027. The first functions affected are finance, procurement, people and marketing.

Where the work will go

Hudson said most of the transferred roles will go to teams in India, with a smaller number remaining in Australia. Some services will be handled by Accenture's large workforce based in India.

Why the airline is making the change

Hudson said Qantas spends more than AU$1bn a year on technology and that its back-end systems need upgrading. She described the pace of change in technology and AI as unlike anything the workforce has experienced in a lifetime.

The announcement followed a recent market update in which the airline warned of higher fares and fewer flights because of rising fuel costs. The company's shares climbed about 4% on the news (Qantas to cut 850 jobs in Australia with Accenture deal; shares jump 4% – Investing.com).

Consultation and wider context

Hudson said Qantas will consult affected staff and unions before taking final decisions. The Guardian counted this as the third large corporate job-cut plan in Australia within three weeks, after restructuring steps signalled by Canva and National Australia Bank.

Key figures

• Jobs affected: 850
• Annual technology spending: more than AU$1bn
• Start of job cuts: mid-2027
• Share price change on announcement day: about 4% higher