The Port of Oakland’s decision to officially adopt San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK) as the new name of the northern California city’s airport—formerly Metropolitan Oakland International Airport—has set up a legal clash with the city of San Francisco.
Following the port’s board of commissioners’ May 9 unanimous vote to change the name, OAK quickly began the rebranding, with the new name displayed on its website and used in press releases. The board ignored last-minute pleas from San Francisco City Attorney David Chui to refrain from using “San Francisco” in the airport’s name.
The board went forward even though Chiu had filed a lawsuit against the Port of Oakland following preliminary approval of the name, alleging federal trademark infringement on San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
“San Francisco took no pleasure in filing this lawsuit,” Chiu said on the eve of the port’s final vote. “We urge Oakland leaders to see reason and collaborate with us so that we can avoid costly litigation. If we can work together on a name that meets the goals of both airports, we should do so for the good of all travelers and our region.”
But the port, which runs OAK, said in a statement the name change “aims to attract more nonstop destinations by boosting travelers' geographic awareness of the airport’s location on the San Francisco Bay.”
Craig Simon, the port’s interim aviation director, said following the vote that “OAK is the closest major airport to 58% of the Bay Area population … This designation will let the world know who we serve.”
In a recent interview with Aviation Week Network, Simon noted OAK sits on the east side of San Francisco Bay, with its main runway “really right off of the bay,” adding: “Aircraft flying into and out of Oakland depart and arrive over San Francisco Bay.”
He said there is a lack of awareness “east of the Mississippi” in the U.S. and internationally that OAK, 20 mi. from San Francisco’s financial district, is a Bay Area airport. From July 2008 to March 2024, OAK added 54 new routes, but only 15 of these remain, and six preexisting routes have also been cut, meaning OAK has lost 45 routes over a nearly 16-year period, according to Simon, who points to the lack of geographic awareness as the primary cause.
But Chiu said the name change will lead to confusion: “The clear similarity and the resulting very high likelihood of confusion between San Francisco’s registered trademark ‘San Francisco International Airport’ and Oakland International Airport’s proposed name ‘San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport’ gives San Francisco strong federal trademark infringement and related common law and state claims against Oakland.”
The Port of Oakland has filed a countersuit against the city of San Francisco, defending itself against Chiu’s claims.
The port’s countersuit points out SFO is not technically located in San Francisco. The city’s “claims are barred, in whole or in part, because the city uses its purported San Francisco International Airport mark to misrepresent the source of the services as being located in the city and county of San Francisco, when SFO is actually located in San Mateo County, south of the city and county of San Francisco,” the countersuit states.
The city of San Francisco owns and operates SFO, which is located on the west side of the bay 30 min. driving distance from OAK.
“The San Francisco’s city attorney’s decision to pursue litigation is an attempt to stop consumer education, prevent expanded air travel options for Bay Area residents and visitors, and is a misguided use of San Francisco taxpayer dollars,” Port of Oakland Attorney Mary Richardson said in a statement. “OAK is committed to enhancing its airline routes and increasing competition for the benefit of all of the San Francisco Bay Area’s visitors and residents, including those residing in the city and county of San Francisco. We stand ready and willing to partner with SFO to increase choices for travelers and invite any productive dialogue to this end.”
She added that the new name “accurately describes OAK’s geographic location on the bay and presents the airport as an additional choice for travel into the San Francisco Bay Area. SFO’s lawsuit is a disappointing and anticompetitive effort to discourage competition and choice, and we are confident the court will agree.”
The countersuit argues that “increased awareness that Oakland Airport is situated on San Francisco Bay will lead to more demand for inbound travel to OAK. This will allow the airport to attract and maintain more direct routes and flight options for the over 7 million Bay Area residents that the Oakland Airport serves. The majority of those residents are in the East Bay with OAK as their closest airport.”
The port's countersuit alleges SFO fears losing service to OAK. “While additional flight choices and corresponding price competition in the Bay Area would benefit the city’s residents, expanding options for regional travel through more than one airport could mean that more people may choose to fly through OAK rather than SFO,” it alleges.
OAK handled 11.2 million passengers in 2023, up 0.8% compared to 2022. SFO handled 50.2 million passengers in 2023, up 18.7% over 2022.
Southwest Airlines, the dominant carrier at OAK, has endorsed the name change. United Airlines, which has a hub at SFO, is opposed to the renaming.
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