Southwest airlines to set up global innovation centre in Hyd

The Telangana government announced on Thursday that Southwest Airlines, a major US airline, is setting up a global innovation centre in Hyderabad.

The announcement came after a meeting between Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and the Southwest Airlines delegation, which included Chief Information Officer (CIO) Lauren Woods, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Tom Merritt, Legal Counsel Head Jason Shying, and Sarthak Brahma from HEX Advisory Group.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy welcomed the team and said the new centre will help Southwest Airlines grow and support its business strategies globally.

Southwest Airlines, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is one of the largest low-cost carriers in the United States. It is known for its affordable fares, extensive domestic network, and customer-focused approach.

Speaking about Hyderabad’s growth, Revanth Reddy highlighted the Telangana government’s vision to make the state a USD 1 trillion (around ₹83 lakh crore) economy by 2034 and a USD 3 trillion (around ₹249 lakh crore) economy by 2047 under its “Telangana Rising 2047” plan.