Qantas Cuts 850 Australian Jobs, Outsourcing Work to India in AI Overhaul

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Nov 10

Qantas plans to eliminate 850 Australian roles under a multi-year Accenture deal, with some back-office work shifting to the firm’s India-based team and first changes due by mid-2027.
The airline said the overhaul will modernize back-end systems, processes and data as it increases investment in technology and AI, while also helping contain costs.
Vanessa Hudson said Qantas will consult affected staff and unions before final decisions, setting up another clash with labor groups that have previously fought the carrier over outsourcing.
The move is Australia’s third major corporate layoff plan in three weeks, following NAB’s 2,500-role restructuring and Canva’s 1,200 cuts, bringing the total targeted across the three companies to about 4,550 jobs.
The restructuring lands as Australia faces nearly five-year-high unemployment, rising living costs and elevated oil prices linked to the Iran conflict, even as Qantas says travel demand has remained resilient.