Oakland airport officials are receiving pushback after announcing last month possibly adding San Francisco to the name of the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport.
The issue has created a back and forth spat between Oakland airport officials and those with San Francisco International Airport.
“Should you continue in these efforts, I intend to pursue legal action to prevent your use of the proposed new name,” including possible trademark infringement, City Attorney David Chiu wrote to commissioners.
“The port is considering a name modification to boost inbound travelers’ geographic awareness of the airport’s location on the San Francisco Bay,” said Port Commission President Barbara Leslie.
In response, the San Francisco International Airport officials warned such a change would confuse fliers.
Airport Director Ivar C. Satero said in an April 1 statement the airport’s name has been around since 1927, making it “immediately recognizable” to travelers and advised against such a change.
“Given this history, we anticipate the new name being considered by the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport will cause confusion for the public, either through a misunderstanding of its physical location or its perceived relationship to SFO,” he said. “This concern is only compounded considering SFO’s status as a major international gateway.”
Supporters of the renaming include Southwest Airlines, one of the Oakland airports partners.
“Oakland helped put us on the map in California and we’re wholeheartedly supportive of this rebranding that acknowledges OAK’s economic position and influence in the San Francisco Bay area while staying true to its Oakland roots,” said Jennifer Bridie, Vice President of Marketing Communications & Strategy at Southwest Airlines.
Oakland airport officials have additionally said the change would, in part, create more direct flights to domestic and global destinations out of the Bay Area.
“Market research and interviews with airline partners have shown that routes have not performed as well as they should have due to the lack of geographic awareness, making air carriers reluctant to sustain and add new routes in Oakland,” said Port of Oakland Interim Director of Aviation Craig Simon in the announcement statement.
The change is needed as the airport has lost 39 of 54 new routes since 2008, Mr. Simon said, adding that it has also lost six longer established routes over the same time.
Executives of Visit Oakland, Visit Tri Valley, Visit Walnut Creek and Visit Berkeley were additionally cited in favor of the new name.
“It makes good sense to align the airport name with the globally recognized geographic area where it is located. This will make it easier for air travelers to find,” said Visit Berkeley CEO Barbara Hillman.
The name change is slated to be considered during an April 11 meeting of the Port Commissioners.
