Qantas Airways has announced a major restructuring plan that will see 850 local corporate positions transferred to Accenture’s consulting teams, with the bulk of the roles moving to India. The shift, set to begin in mid‑2027, will affect finance, procurement, people and marketing functions, while a smaller number of positions will remain in Australia.
CEO Vanessa Hudson addressed staff in an internal email, describing the announcement as “hard news” and expressing regret for the uncertainty it creates. She highlighted the rapid pace of technological change, noting that the scale and speed of AI adoption are unprecedented in the industry’s history.
The decision follows a recent market update from Qantas that outlined fare increases and flight reductions driven by higher fuel costs. In the same communication, Hudson explained that the airline is investing more than AU$1 billion (US$691 million) annually in technology upgrades, citing the need to replace over 1,000 legacy applications that no longer integrate effectively.
Under the new multi‑year agreement with Accenture, Qantas aims to “modernise” its IT systems, “redesign and simplify” corporate processes, and reduce duplication. Hudson said the partnership would allow staff to focus on value‑adding work for customers and the business, with future automation and AI integration expected to further transform the outsourced functions.
Qantas, which employs roughly 28,000 people in Australia and an additional 4,000 worldwide, has already integrated AI tools into daily operations for many employees. The airline has engaged in discussions with unions and staff representatives regarding the transition.
Source: BBC World
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