Qantas to cut 850 jobs in Australia with Accenture deal; shares jump 4%

Qantas Airways said on Tuesday it will eliminate 850 positions in Australia and transfer some corporate operations to consulting firm Accenture as part of its response to growing artificial intelligence use in the airline sector.

Shares of the airline surged 4% to A$9.70 after the announcement. A sharp drop in oil prices also lent support.

The initial wave of cuts will impact workers in finance, procurement, human resources and marketing departments. Some positions will move to Accenture and be handled by teams based primarily in India, the airline said in a press release.

The reductions represent approximately 3% of Qantas’ 28,000-strong Australian workforce. The first wave of cuts will take effect by mid-2027, the airline said.

Qantas joins a growing list of major Australian companies moving workers offshore to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Woolworths, Telstra ANZ, and National Australia Bank have all announced similar plans this year.