A Qantas airline flight takes off from Sydney International Airport in Sydney on August 27, 2026

Sydney (AFP) - Australian airline Qantas said Tuesday it will cut 850 jobs as it shifts some corporate functions to India and accelerates the use of artificial intelligence.

The nation’s largest airline said it had inked a deal with consulting firm Accenture to overhaul “back-end systems”, with an unspecified number of roles to be taken over by “teams in India”.

“We know this will be difficult news for some of our people and this decision is not a reflection of their contribution or commitment,” said chief executive Vanessa Hudson.

Around 850 jobs would be cut, beginning in the middle of 2027.

Artificial intelligence was poised to fundamentally reshape the airline business around the world, Hudson said.

“The scale and speed of change in this space is unprecedented and unlike anything businesses have seen in generations.

“Leading organisations around the world are well progressed in using technology and AI to completely transform how they work, and standing still is not an option for us.”

Qantas, meanwhile, said it was about to embark on the “largest fleet renewal in its history”.

Qantas Group added 17 new aircraft during the past financial year, and expected up to 31 more to arrive in the year ahead, according to financial results earlier this year.

That investment would allow Qantas to start retiring its double-decker A380 fleet from 2028.