Oakland alters airport designation to 'San Francisco Bay Oakland International' amidst San Francisco's trademark lawsuits.
"The Oakland Airport is rebranding itself in an attempt to secure more nonstop flights by raising traveler awareness of its position on the San Francisco Bay. According to the Port of Oakland, this name change is crucial to the airport's wider mission to fortify and develop the facility as a major economic booster for the city. The airport will retain its three-letter code, "OAK".
The name change proposal received the green light from the board on April 11th, after which the City of San Francisco - which holds a trademark for "San Francisco International Airport" - filed a lawsuit on the 18th of April to block the alleged infringement. The city's legal team claimed that Oakland had offered alternate name choices but was "intentionally and knowingly capitalizing on confusion."
Port Commission President Barbara Leslie declared in a press statement that the board had entered these talks with a shared fondness for Oakland and a determination to see the city and airport flourish.
"Since our initial decision, the Port has met with various community leaders and stakeholders, addressing their concerns. We're advancing with the intention of honoring our past while constructing a more unified, inclusive future," Leslie said.
City Attorney of San Francisco David Chiu implored the commissioners to reconsider the name change on Tuesday, with his office announcing their intent to file a lawsuit if the name remained unchanged.
The city plans to request a preliminary injunction, a statement from the City Attorney's office revealed, as the name change is allegedly likely to induce confusion, blunders, and financial loss for travelers.
"The renaming strategy seems specifically formulated to mislead tourists who might be uninitiated in Bay Area geography, implying that OAK has a business connection with SFO, which is untrue," the statement said.
In response to Thursday's decision, City Attorney of San Francisco spokesperson Jen Kwart stated in a release, "It's disheartening that Oakland chose to dismiss our multiple proposals to collaborate on alternative names, thereby necessitating litigation. We have no option but to proceed with the next steps in our trademark lawsuit."
Interim Director of Aviation at the Port of Oakland, Craig Simon, asserted in the Thursday release that the name change is designed to stimulate passenger growth as many travellers might not recognize the airport's closeness to the region's appeal factors, such as the Bay Area's institutions of higher learning, wine country, scientific research centers and the cities of San Francisco and Berkeley.
58% of the Bay Area population resides within OAK's vicinity while the population of San Francisco and San Mateo counties amount to 1.5 million, the release stated. "This categorization will inform the world of those we serve.""
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The name change of the Oakland Airport to 'San Francisco Bay Oakland International' aims to increase traveler awareness of its proximity to popular Bay Area attractions. To further stimulate passenger growth, the airport is emphasizing its proximity to institutions of higher learning, wine country, and scientific research centers.
Source: edition.cnn.com
