In a bid to boost its identity and economic influence, Oakland’s main airport, traditionally known as Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, proposed a name change that has since sparked a legal dispute with its neighbouring city across the Bay. The newly adopted name, “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport”, intended to enhance geographic recognition and attract more travellers, has been met with strong opposition from San Francisco, culminating in a federal lawsuit over trademark violations and potential confusion.
The City of San Francisco ultimately filed a lawsuit against the City of Oakland in April, shortly after the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners voted to rename the airport. San Francisco’s legal team argued that the inclusion of “San Francisco” in the new name would mislead travellers, particularly international visitors who may not be familiar with the region’s geography, potentially causing them to book flights to the wrong airport, which would cause “widespread confusion, mishaps, and economic loss”, potentially impacting both cities’ airports financially.
In their turn, Oakland airport officials defend the renaming as a strategic move to correct a longstanding marketing challenge. “People do not know that Oakland is by the San Francisco Bay, which has been one of the Achilles’ heels of our marketing”, argued Danny Wan, executive director for the Port of Oakland. The airport, which retains its three-letter IATA identifier OAK, said that the name change was crucial for positioning itself as a viable option for the 4.1 million residents and numerous businesses in the East Bay area.
Now, a federal judge has taken the side of the City of San Franciso and ordered a temporary halt on the use of the new name for Oakland pending the outcome of the lawsuit. US Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson sided with San Francisco in the court order issued on Tuesday, citing possible “affiliation, connection or association confusion” as grounds for the preliminary injunction, but without directly stating that travellers would be likely to buy tickets to the wrong airport.
A final court ruling is yet to be made, however, this week’s court order said San Francisco is likely to win the case. The final decision, whether it upholds the name change or reverts to the original, could set a precedent for how geographic names are used in airport marketing and the extent to which cities can claim exclusive rights to such names.
Meanwhile, airlines have had mixed reactions to the change. While Southwest Airlines supports the rebranding, recognising OAK’s significance in the Bay Area, United Airlines opposes it due to the risk of confusion and the possibility of passengers inadvertently booking travel to the wrong airport. Azores Airlines has already started using the new full name in its marketing efforts.
