Qantas is to outsource about 850 jobs, with most of the affected roles moving to India, as the airline presses ahead with an overhaul of its operations driven by artificial intelligence.
The cuts fall on staff in Australia, where the carrier is based. The work will be carried out by outside providers rather than by Qantas employees.
The airline has tied the changes to its AI-led restructuring, which is reshaping how parts of the business are run. The move is the latest example of a large company pairing automation with the transfer of work overseas.
Roles are going to India rather than being scrapped outright, meaning the work continues under different employers and in a different country. The Australian workers affected will lose their positions at the airline.
Qantas is one of the best-known brands in global aviation and a major employer in Australia, so job losses on this scale are likely to draw attention from unions and politicians. Outsourcing at the airline has been a sensitive subject before, and Qantas has faced scrutiny over its treatment of its workforce.
Restructuring under way
The overhaul is built around AI tools that the airline says will change how operational work is done. A timetable for the job losses has not been set.
The decision leaves the 850 staff facing an uncertain period while the airline works through the changes. Qantas is expected to set out further detail as the restructuring moves forward.
The carrier is not the only company to look to AI and overseas providers to cut costs, and its decision is likely to add to debate over the effect of the technology on white-collar work.
Logo: Qantas
