The restructuring, scheduled to begin in mid-2027, is expected to initially affect employees working in finance, procurement, human resources and marketing. The move is part of Qantas’ broader effort to modernise its technology infrastructure, streamline business processes and expand the use of artificial intelligence.
Qantas has signed a multi-year agreement with Accenture to upgrade its back-end systems, business processes and data infrastructure.
In a message to employees, Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said the airline spends more than A$1 billion annually on technology but continues to operate more than 1,000 legacy applications developed over several decades.
“These systems were not designed to work together and have become increasingly complex to maintain,” Hudson said, according to reports.
Most of the affected positions are expected to be transferred to Accenture-operated teams in India, while some functions will continue to be handled in Australia.
The airline said it would consult employees and unions before implementing the changes and explore opportunities to redeploy affected staff wherever possible.
“This is hard news for some, and I’m sorry for the uncertainty it brings,” Hudson said in an internal communication to employees.
Qantas indicated that the functions transferred to Accenture would undergo further changes over time through automation and artificial intelligence, with the aim of reducing duplication and improving operational efficiency.
Hudson said the pace of technological change and AI adoption was unprecedented, making it necessary for the airline to adapt to remain competitive.
The announcement comes amid wider restructuring across the aviation and aerospace industries. Boeing has also announced plans to reduce around five per cent of its commercial airplane workforce through layoffs and attrition, following a slowdown in its plans to increase aircraft production.
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