Qantas to Cut 850 Corporate Jobs as Work Moves to Accenture Teams

Qantas Airways said on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, that it plans to cut about 850 corporate positions in Australia and hand part of its back-office work to the consulting firm Accenture. The airline linked the decision to fast-moving technology and artificial intelligence, and it described the arrangement as a multi-year partnership. Most of the outsourced work is expected to be handled by Accenture teams based in India, with a smaller share performed in Australia.

The airline's chief executive, Vanessa Hudson, informed staff through an email. She said the reductions would unfold over the coming years, with the first round arriving by mid-2027. The cuts equal roughly 3% of Qantas' Australian workforce of 28,000 people. <cite index="22-8">Woolworths, Officeworks, Telstra and National Australia Bank have announced similar moves this year.</cite> Corporate outsourcing of this kind is spreading across several large Australian employers.

Which functions are affected

The initial phase targets finance, procurement, human resources and marketing teams. Some tasks now handled by those staff will transfer to Accenture, which the airline said will later refine them through automation and AI. One report describes the agreement as a seven-year arrangement, and Qantas said the aim is to redesign and simplify parts of its corporate functions and reduce duplication.

Qantas has a record of large outsourcing decisions. <cite index="27-6,27-7">In 2020, during the pandemic, it outsourced the jobs of 1,820 ground handlers, baggage staff and cleaners. But the history means any move to outsource jobs at Qantas is likely to face close attention from unions and the public.</cite>

Union response and company position

The Australian Services Union argued that Qantas had told workers earlier this year that no jobs would be moved offshore, and that staff were now told up to 850 positions could be sent overseas. <cite index="19-10">The union is seeking more details on the number and types of jobs affected, the roles that will remain in Australia and the retraining support available to employees.</cite> The union also said most of the affected jobs are based at the airline's Sydney headquarters.

<cite index="26-9">Qantas rejected the union's claim that it had provided assurances against offshore outsourcing.</cite> The company said it will consult with affected employees and their unions before individual outcomes are determined. <cite index="23-6">It plans to redeploy people into other roles across the group where possible, including new roles being created in Australia.</cite>

What it means for careers and what comes next

For employees in shared-service and back-office roles, the announcement signals that work in finance, procurement, human resources and marketing may be reorganized through outsourcing and automation. <cite index="27-5">Neither Qantas nor Accenture has said how many of the 850 roles will be replaced by automation rather than relocated, and Qantas has not given a savings figure for the deal.</cite> Qantas has also not said how many redundancies are expected as opposed to redeployments.

Watch for the consultation process, the breakdown of affected roles by team and year, and any update from the union on job numbers and retraining support. The first changes are scheduled for mid-2027. <cite index="21-9">The airline said the move was in response to rapid changes in the industry due to AI.</cite>