#Awkward. Qantas and Virgin Australia in odd Twitter encounter

THERE has been a rather unusual encounter between the nation’s major carriers. Let’s just say it was plane awkward. And then things got even worse ...

Virgin Australia and QANTAS talk trash on Twitter.

LADIES and gentlemen, it’s time to buckle up and prepare for a mile-high Twitter fight.

The claws are well and truly out between Qantas and Virgin Australia after the rivals did the unthinkable on Tuesday night; they actually acknowledged each other's presence on Twitter.

It was a rather awkward — and brief — encounter, but it left the Twitterverse in a flurry of excitement.

It all began when Virgin Australia posted this seemingly straightforward Tweet as they celebrated a milestone for their company:

We landed at Longreach, the birthplace of Australian aviation, for the 1st time today on a flight chartered by the QLD State of Origin team

— Virgin Australia (@VirginAustralia) June 10, 2014

But an hour later the Flying Kangaroo hopped on its competitor’s case and attempted to steal some of the limelight, firing off this rather snarky response to make it feel like an outsider:

@VirginAustralia Welcome to our birth place, the home of Australia's only national carrier. Thanks for visiting!

— Qantas Airways (@QantasAirways) June 10, 2014

Seemingly unaffected, Virgin cheerfully responded:

@QantasAirways It was our pleasure

— Virgin Australia (@VirginAustralia) June 10, 2014

However, Qantas’s rather surprising barb backfired, leaving many followers scratching their heads.

Why? Let's refer to the Qantas website, which states: “Winton was ‘the official birthplace of Qantas’. The first and only meeting of directors in the town was held on 10 February 1921. Qantas operations were then moved 160km southeast to Longreach, which was more central to the operational area.”

The operations in Longreach began a year later.

The airline’s followers were quick to point this out:

@QantasAirways @AndrewHeslop @VirginAustralia hmm thought it was Winton?? http://t.co/L8R9ToOdK3

— Andrew Ballard (@andreweballard) June 10, 2014

@QantasAirways @EvanD @bradfor925 And this press release from earlier this yr "Qantas was established in Winton" http://t.co/NFzDVcWM5z

— Kirsty Taylor (@kirstyt) June 10, 2014

The airline responded to the queries by posting a link that talked about its Longreach operations:

@EvanD @bradfor925 A little more history: http://t.co/Db3vCY7nLo

— Qantas Airways (@QantasAirways) June 10, 2014

Regardless of the debate over its birthplace, the Twitter encounter between the airlines had quite a reaction:

@AaronBradford @QantasAirways @VirginAustralia I just wish we could all get along like we use to.... https://t.co/zwOwj7qhfe

— Liam (@Li_Ras) June 10, 2014

@qantasairways @virginaustralia BUUUURRRNNNNN!!

— Nick Bassett (@thebassetthound) June 10, 2014

Oh DAYUM GIRLLLLL. @QantasAirways is getting all up in @VirginAustralia's grill. And it's amazing. pic.twitter.com/vVdkQLJnWH

— Katie Hale (@katie18O) June 10, 2014

@AaronBradford @QantasAirways @VirginAustralia this is gold!! hahaha

— Brett McGeorge (@bmcgeorge) June 10, 2014

@jonoabroad To co-opt it as your "home" (it's not any more) while throwing a barb about national carriage is just cheap point-scoring.

— Kieran Mc (@kjmci) June 10, 2014

@QantasAirways @VirginAustralia Play nicely, I love you both equally! — Aaron Marc (@AaronBradford) June 10, 2014