The new service is available at twitter.com/VAAInfo – customers simply tweet the flight they wish to receive information on in the format “@VAAInfo VS3 3110”, and will receive a reply in the format:

“@RogerFlysalot – Hello gorgeous! The @VirginAtlantic VS3/30Oct left London LHR at 10:50 & is expected in New York JFK at 13:51”

Where the flight is a multi-leg journey, users may receive a tweet requesting the departure airport before the information can be given.

The carrier believes the service will be of use not only for day-to-day enquiries, but also for times of disruption when many customer queries are “simply asking for an update on the status of their flight”.