Southwest Airlines opens 1st tech hub outside US in Hyderabad
What's the story
Southwest Airlines has opened its first-ever Global Innovation Center outside the US in Hyderabad. The new facility was inaugurated by Telangana IT Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu today. The center will be operated through Southwest Airlines India Private Limited and is a significant expansion of the airline's international technology and engineering operations.
Strategic location
The facility will support several operations
The new center further improves Hyderabad's position as a growing global hub for aviation, travel, hospitality, and technology innovation. It also highlights the presence of several multinational firms and global capability centers in the city. The facility will support technology, engineering, cybersecurity, AI/ML, data science analytics, digital operations, and next-generation product development for Southwest Airlines's global aviation network. Southwest Airlines plans to scale the Hyderabad center to over 1,000 engineers and technology professionals in the coming years.
Talent acquisition
Lauren Woods on why Hyderabad was chosen
Lauren Woods, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Southwest Airlines, said Hyderabad offers one of the world's strongest talent pools in analytics engineering innovation. This makes it an ideal location for the airline's next growth phase.