California officials at war over chaotic airport name change that’s seen passengers showing up to the wrong place for flights
A pair of neighboring California cities are at war over the renaming of a local airport that has left passengers confused and accidentally showing up at the wrong departure location.
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed a preliminary motion on Tuesday against the Oakland airport, which recently changed its name, for trademark infringement over similarities between the new name and that of San Francisco’s airport.
The Oakland airport, which has kept its original call letters of OAK, recently changed its name from Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.
The name change has caused some travelers confusion, as right across the bay sits San Francisco International Airport, which has the call letters SFO. The rebrand has resulted in ‘multiple incidents,’ including passengers showing up to the wrong airport, according to SFO Airport Director Ivar C. Satero.
‘We are already seeing traveler confusion around the use of Oakland’s new name,’ Chiu said in a statement. ‘This was entirely predictable and preventable. We tried to reason with Oakland officials to avoid litigation and come up with alternative names that would work for all of us.
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed a preliminary motion on Tuesday against the Oakland airport, which recently changed its name, for trademark infringement over similarities between the new name and that of San Francisco’s airport
The Oakland airport, which has kept its original call letters of OAK, recently changed its name from Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport
‘Unfortunately, those efforts were not productive, and we have no choice but to ask the court to step in and protect our trademark.’
Chiu argues that Oakland is trying to ape SFO’s ‘world-class’ status.
‘We have built an incredible brand that we must protect,’ Chiu said. ‘Oakland has a trademark for Oakland International Airport. It should use that and stay away from San Francisco’s brand.’
Oakland has defended the name change, saying it was necessary to let travelers – especially tourists – know that SFO isn’t the only option to get to San Francisco.
‘Nobody owns the San Francisco Bay,’ the Port of Oakland’s Board of Commissioners Second Vice President, Barbara Leslie, told ABC 7. ‘The port operates and is the steward for 20 miles of land along the San Francisco Bay.’
The Port of Oakland has claimed Chiu’s actions are an ‘attempt to stifle competition and travel choices by Bay Area residents and position SFO as the only airport that serves the San Francisco Bay Area.’
The name change has caused some travelers confusion, as right across the bay sits San Francisco International Airport. The rebrand has resulted in ‘multiple incidents,’ including passengers showing up to the wrong airport.
Chiu argues that Oakland is trying to ape SFO’s ‘world-class’ status: ‘Oakland has a trademark for Oakland International Airport. It should use that and stay away from San Francisco’s brand’ (pictured: SFO)
The two airports sit right across the San Francisco Bay from one another
‘It is not [the only airport], and OAK will continue to aggressively fight for its position on the San Francisco Bay,’ a spokesperson told ABC 7.
‘It’s about bringing awareness to travelers about the choices they have when traveling to and from the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area,’ Port attorney Mary Richardson told ABC 7.
Oakland hopes the rebrand will lead to more foot traffic in the airport, which could bring more nonstop options for passengers.
The name change was approved by the Oakland Board of Commissioners in May, and SFO filed a federal lawsuit against the rival airport in May. Oakland has since filed a counterclaim against SFO, but has ‘not yet received a response,’ according to Richardson.
Unlike SFO’s lawsuit, Chiu’s petition, if approved, would immediately stop Oakland from being able to use the new name.
Easy Bay resident Paolo Sambrano, who grew up in Oakland, believes the airport should go back to its roots.
‘I think it really erodes a lot of Oakland’s identity,’ he told ABC 7. ‘I was born and raised in Oakland and I think it’s a real slap in the face.’
Pam Geffinger, a tourist from Nevada, said she didn’t understand why they would even change the name.
‘San Francisco is San Francisco, Oakland’s Oakland,’ he said. ‘I can’t imagine why they think they need to put San Francisco on the name of their airport.’
SF Gate found two reports of Spirit Airline passengers showing up to SFO, which does not host the airline, when they should have gone to Oakland.