Qantas Cuts 850 Jobs in Accenture AI Deal: Roles, Timeline & Impact
Qantas will cut 850 Australian corporate jobs and move back-office work to Accenture, mostly in India, as AI reshapes the airline. First cuts land by mid-2027.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / DS28
SYDNEY, Nov. 10, 2026 — Qantas will cut about 850 corporate jobs in Australia and hand back-office work to consulting firm Accenture under a seven-year deal, as the airline turns to artificial intelligence to reshape its business.
The cuts, announced by Qantas on Tuesday, will fall over the coming years and affect about 3 per cent of the airline's 28,000-strong Australian workforce. The first changes are due by mid-2027, hitting finance, procurement, human resources and marketing staff first, with the work moving mostly to Accenture teams in India.
Key Takeaways
- Qantas will cut about 850 Australian corporate jobs over the coming years under a seven-year Accenture outsourcing deal.
- The first phase covers finance, procurement, human resources and marketing, with the first changes due by mid-2027.
- Most of the affected work will move to Accenture teams in India; Qantas has not said how many roles will be automated rather than relocated.
- The cuts are the third major Australian corporate restructuring in about three weeks, after National Australia Bank flagged about 2,500 roles and Canva about 1,200.
Which Qantas Jobs Are Being Cut and Where Is the Work Going?
Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson told staff in an email that the jobs would go "over the coming years", with finance, procurement, human resources and marketing first in line. Pilots, cabin crew and other operational staff are not part of the cuts, and Qantas will consult staff and unions before final decisions are made.
Qantas, Australia's flag carrier with about 32,000 employees worldwide, said Accenture would take over its back-end systems, processes and data.
The Australian Services Union said it was meeting Qantas members on the day of the announcement, and that Qantas had previously assured staff there was no plan to offshore jobs under the Accenture deal. Qantas has not disclosed a savings figure, or how many of the 850 roles will be automated rather than relocated.
Why Qantas Is Outsourcing to Accenture and What AI Has to Do With It
Qantas said the move responds to rapid, AI-driven change in the industry. Hudson told staff that "standing still is not an option" and that the airline faced a level of technological change businesses had not seen in generations. Qantas plans to keep investing about A$1 billion a year in technology across the seven-year partnership.
The deal lands as Australia moves to set firmer rules for advanced AI. Australia is creating an AI safety regulator with mandatory safeguards for frontier models.
Investors welcomed the plan, and Qantas shares rose on the day of the announcement. The move comes as big AI spenders face harder questions about returns: SoftBank swung to a $7 billion quarterly loss this week after writing down equipment for its United States data centre projects.
What Happens Next for Affected Qantas Staff?
Consultation with staff and unions runs over the coming months, with the first transfers expected by mid-2027.
| Company | Roles affected | Announced | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Australia Bank | About 2,500 | October 2026 | AI and cost cuts |
| Canva | About 1,200 | October 2026 | AI restructuring |
| Qantas | About 850 | November 10, 2026 | Accenture outsourcing, AI |
Together the three restructurings put about 4,550 Australian corporate jobs at risk in about three weeks. Boeing is cutting about 5 per cent of its commercial airplane workforce as 737 output slows. Boeing's 5 per cent workforce cut is the latest sign of pressure across aviation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many jobs is Qantas cutting and which roles are affected?
Qantas is cutting about 850 corporate jobs in Australia. The first phase covers finance, procurement, human resources and marketing staff, with the first changes due by mid-2027.
Is Qantas moving jobs to India under the Accenture deal?
Yes. Most of the back-office work will move to Accenture teams in India, although some services will stay in Australia.
When will the Qantas job cuts take effect?
The first changes are expected by mid-2027. Qantas will consult affected employees and unions over the coming months before final decisions, so the full timetable is not yet fixed.
Will Qantas pilots and cabin crew be affected by the cuts?
No. The cuts cover corporate support roles only. Pilots, cabin crew and other operational staff are not affected, and Qantas says it has created more than 4,400 operational roles since 2023.
Qantas has not yet said how many of the 850 roles will be automated rather than relocated, or what savings the deal will deliver.
