The Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners unanimously voted this week to alter the identify of Oakland Worldwide Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland Worldwide Airport, infuriating San Francisco officers who promised to sue over the choice.
The identify change will probably be finalized if authorized in a second vote Might 9.
“I’m very happy with at this time’s unanimous board approval, particularly as a proud Oaklander myself who needs to reinforce financial exercise and native jobs for Oakland,” Danny Wan, govt director of the Port of Oakland, stated in a press release.
Port of Oakland officers say the change is essential to maintain the airport’s 30,000 direct jobs and $1.6-billion financial influence within the area. Beneath the proposed rebranding, the airport code, OAK, won’t be modified.
The transfer has angered San Francisco leaders, who say it’s going to confuse vacationers. Earlier than the vote, San Francisco Metropolis Atty. David Chiu wrote to the Port of Oakland, promising to sue if the change was authorized. The town of San Francisco, he wrote, “has robust authorized claims … for trademark infringement that we intend to usher in courtroom in opposition to the Port of Oakland.”
The San Francisco airport, which has been working since 1927, has been identified by its moniker for nearly the whole thing of its existence, Chiu famous.
“The names ‘San Francisco Airport’ and ‘San Francisco Worldwide Airport’ are well-known and extremely recognizable amongst customers in reference to the airport companies that solely SFO offers,” Chiu wrote.
“Whereas the proposed new identify could be very prone to trigger confusion and errors broadly, the issue will probably be significantly acute for an viewers of worldwide vacationers who could not communicate or learn English,” he added. “These worldwide vacationers comprise a necessary a part of SFO’s shopper base.”
San Francisco Worldwide Airport Director Ivar C. Satero stated the airport would assist a lawsuit.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed requested Oakland officers to “comply with the same mannequin to SFO” and enhance its airport companies to extend income somewhat than altering its identify.
Kaley Skantz, a spokeswoman for Oakland Worldwide Airport, stated makes an attempt to broaden companies through the years haven’t been profitable due to “the shortage of geographic consciousness amongst inbound vacationers.”
She pointed to a research by the Port of Oakland, which discovered that 30% of home vacationers didn’t understand how shut the airport was to different Bay Space cities similar to San Francisco, which is just 18 miles west by automobile.
“Flights to OAK haven’t carried out in addition to they may,” Skatnz stated. Between July 2008 and March 2024, the airport tried so as to add 54 new routes, she stated, however 39 have been eradicated. As well as, six preexisting routes have been canceled as a result of they didn’t have sufficient passengers.
Oakland officers hope the identify change will enhance recognition of the airport’s location within the Bay Space. In 2016, Bob Hope Airport rebranded as Hollywood Burbank Airport and reported a subsequent 19% improve in flights throughout 2018 to 2019, although it’s not clear if the identify change alone resulted within the development.
The Port of Oakland started surveying residents of Oakland and the encircling East Bay space final fall, receiving outcomes this month that confirmed basic assist for an airport rebrand.
The rebrand would value about $150,000, however the change could be self-funded by the Port of Oakland with out taxpayer {dollars}, port officers stated.
Southwest and Spirit are two main airways which have endorsed the change. Jennifer Bridie, senior vice chairman of selling for Southwest, voiced assist for “up to date naming” that has “a newfound regional draw and immediately positive factors much more visibility amongst these all over the world purchasing for air journey to the Bay Space.”
Mary Richardson, an lawyer for the Port of Oakland, stated officers are doing all they will to make sure readability for potential guests to the Bay Space.
“SFO can’t lay declare to the geographically descriptive time period ‘San Francisco,’ not to mention declare unique rights to the San Francisco Bay,” she stated in a press release.
