Virgin offers live flight status updates via Twitter

Virgin Atlantic is offering customers a ‘tweet bit’ service allowing them to get flight status updates via micro-blogging site Twitter.

Virgin Atlantic is offering customers a ‘tweet bit’ service allowing them to get flight status updates via micro-blogging site Twitter.

The @VAAInfo account takes customer queries about their flight and offers a response “within seconds” the airline said.

Fergus Boyd, head of e-commerce, at Virgin Atlantic, said: “We now have over 50,000 Twitter followers worldwide and we know that many of them use the social network to keep abreast of travel news and updates.

“We are finding that many travellers are using the tool simply to confirm when their flight departs and others to check details when picking up friends and family from the airport”.

The automated responses include something of Virgin’s famed personality, responding to customers with the greeting “Hello gorgeous”

The Twitter anoint also allows friends or colleagues of customers to check the status of flights while they in the air on the ground.

Boyd added: “This service, although used by many on a day to day basis, will really come into its own during times of disruption when we get high peaks of customer queries, many of which are simply asking for an update on the status of their flight.”