Qantas is set to eliminate more than 850 jobs over the next few years as part of a sweeping overhaul of its corporate operations, with some roles reportedly earmarked for outsourcing to India.
The changes were outlined after Qantas Group announced a new partnership with technology consultancy Accenture.
The airline said the overhaul reflects the rapid global development of technology and artificial intelligence, which is reshaping customer expectations and the way employees work.
‘We know this [the job losses] will be difficult news for some of our people and this decision is not a reflection of their contribution or commitment,’ Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson said on Tuesday.
‘We need to reinvent the processes, platforms and data behind our business so we can innovate faster and deliver a better, more connected experience for our customers and our people.
‘That means fundamentally redesigning how the work behind our airline gets done, so it is simpler, more connected and keeps getting better, with automation and AI built in from the start.’
The first stage of the overhaul is expected to be implemented by the middle of 2027.
It will affect employees across finance, procurement, human resources and marketing.
Qantas will cut more than 850 jobs over the next few years as part of a major corporate overhaul that includes outsourcing work to India. Pictured, a Qantas plane at Sydney Airport
Qantas will begin consulting staff and their union representatives in the coming months, stressing that individual job outcomes ‘have not been determined’.
‘We will look to redeploy as many people as possible, with retraining, reskilling and opportunities elsewhere across the group, including through the creation of new roles here in Australia,’ Ms Hudson said in an email to staff seen by The Australian.
The Australian Services Union (ASU), which represents Qantas workers, had previously sought assurances that the airline would not move jobs offshore.
‘Qantas has informed us that there is no plan to offshore any Australian jobs, and we demand the airline stay true to these commitments,’ ASU Assistant National Secretary Scott Cowen said earlier this year.
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‘If that commitment from Qantas turns out to be worthless, it won’t just be a broken promise to the ASU.
‘It will be a deep breach of trust with the Australian public who have stuck by this airline through everything it has put them through.’
The multi-year agreement with Accenture is part of Qantas Group’s broader annual investment of $1 billion in technology.
The airline said its Innovation Centre in Adelaide is expected to expand to more than 400 positions, while thousands of employees are already using AI tools in their day-to-day work.
Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson (pictured) outlined the changes in an email to company staff on Tuesday
Since 2023, the group has created 4,400 new operational roles and says it expects to recruit more workers across its operational divisions.
Qantas said last week that it would reduce domestic flight capacity and raise fares as elevated fuel prices continue to weigh on the aviation sector.
‘[We] will continue to adjust fares and capacity in response to higher fuel costs,’ the airline said in a market update last week.
Qantas now expects to spend $3.75 billion on fuel during the final six months of 2026, up from its previous forecast of $3.6 billion.
For the year ended June 30, 2026, Qantas Group reported underlying profit before tax of $2.06 billion and statutory profit after tax of $1.29 billion.
The announcement came a day after Boeing unveiled plans to reduce its commercial aircraft workforce by five per cent.
According to commercial chief Stephanie Pope, the cuts will be achieved through a combination of layoffs and ‘attrition’ as the company slows its transition to give factories and supply chain partners more time to ‘achieve stability’.
‘Adjusting our production schedules and reducing aircraft output puts us in an overstaffed position,’ she said on Monday.
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