1 year ago
35
OAKLAND, Calif. -- San Francisco is suing its neighbour crossed the Bay implicit a program to alteration the sanction of Oakland's airport.
Earlier this month, the Port of Oakland's commissioners voted unanimously to alteration the sanction of Oakland International Airport to "San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport."
"The feedback we get [from airlines] ... is, due to the fact that determination is deficiency of sanction designation ... it is hard to merchantability tickets inbound," said Danny Wan, enforcement manager for the Port of Oakland. "People bash not cognize that Oakland is by the San Francisco Bay. That has been 1 of the Achilles' heels of our marketing."
The caller sanction would not alteration the airport's three-letter identifier, OAK.
San Francisco filed suit successful national tribunal Thursday, requesting the tribunal prohibit Oakland from utilizing the name, alleging that Oakland plans to "intentionally and knowingly capitalize disconnected of confusion."
The City of San Francisco owns a trademark connected "San Francisco International Airport," commonly referred to by its three-letter code, SFO.
SF mayor: Oakland 'has its ain unsocial identity'
San Francisco Mayor London Breed besides weighed in. "[Oakland] is affluent successful civilization and fantastic radical and has its ain unsocial identity. It does not request the sanction San Francisco arsenic portion of its airdrome to basal out," she penned successful a missive to the Port of Oakland.
A traveler walks done baggage assertion successful Terminal 2 astatine Oakland International Airport connected April 12.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images via CNN Newsource
Wan rebuffed the thought that the caller sanction would origin confusion.
"There are many, galore airports that person a akin oregon communal metropolis oregon geographic recognition sanction successful their title... And yet, airlines person figured retired however to bash that. Airports person figured retired however to bash that. Passengers person figured retired however to bash that."
An lawyer for the Port of Oakland, Mary Richardson, told CNN that "San Francisco's suit is disappointing. OAK's projected renaming does not infringe upon SFO's mark. We volition vigorously support our close to assertion our spot connected the San Francisco Bay. We are lasting up for Oakland and our East Bay community."
How airlines are reacting
At slightest 1 hose has already started utilizing the caller name.
Azores Airlines, which flies from Oakland to Terceira Island successful the Portuguese archipelago successful the Atlantic, present lists OAK nether its projected caller name.
United Airlines, which holds much than 40% of the marketplace astatine SFO, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, told CNN it opposes the projected sanction change.
A typical for the hose said, "The sanction alteration could origin disorder and inconvenience for galore travelers who are not acquainted with the region, and pb to problems specified arsenic passengers inadvertently booking question to the incorrect airport."
Southwest, which has an 82% marketplace stock astatine Oakland, said successful a quality merchandise with the Port that it is "wholeheartedly supportive of this rebranding that acknowledges OAK's economical presumption and power successful the San Francisco Bay country portion staying existent to its Oakland roots." Southwest did not respond to CNN's petition for comment.
Final support for the sanction alteration is pending a 2nd ballot from Port of Oakland's Board of Commissioners connected May 9.
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
