If you’re looking to book a flight on Delta, put down your iPad. It won’t help you anymore. The Atlanta-based airline has decided to discontinue the iPad version of its Fly Delta app, and as VentureBeat reports, the decision was likely due to rather anemic tablet ticket sales.
It’s not an altogether surprising move. Delta, in a sense, is just following market trends. In 2016, Target discontinued its iPad app after six years, noting that it had improved its website to create a more streamlined shopping experience across all devices. The company also pointed out that having fewer apps was more economically efficient, and would also allow in-demand engineers to work on more pressing projects. Other companies, including Walmart and Citibank, have followed suit, removing iPad apps to focus more on the web experience.
And even Apple seems to be noting this trend. In May, it was reported that the iPad Mini may soon be discontinued, and that the existing model of the diminutive tablet wouldn’t be receiving any further updates.
In an email to customers about Delta’s decision, the airline wrote that the iPhone version of the app as well as its website “are already more feature-rich than our standalone iPad app and have much higher customer satisfaction.” In fact, Delta pointed out, its iPhone app is “currently the highest-rated airline app in the App Store.”
And just because Delta is killing the iPad app doesn’t mean that you can’t use your tablet to book your next flight. You can still download Delta’s iPhone-optimized Fly Delta app, which will give you largely the same experience. The company told VentureBeat that the retirement of the iPad app will allow Delta to “focus on delivering a consistent customer experience through the channels our customers use most.”
