Oakland’s airport may use “San Francisco” in its name under a new settlement agreement that ends a two-year trademark dispute between the neighboring California cities.
In March 2024, officials in Oakland voted to rename the city’s airport from Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, hoping to improve traffic at the struggling facility. Leaders in Oakland argued that travelers unfamiliar with the San Francisco Bay Area did not realize how close Oakland might be to their destination. They said that adding “San Francisco” to the name would help orient visitors.
The city of San Francisco, which owns the San Francisco International Airport, filed a lawsuit, arguing that the name change was a trademark violation, created unfair competition and confused travelers. In November 2024, a federal judge agreed with San Francisco and issued an injunction against Oakland using that name.
Oakland officials then changed the airport’s name again, to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport. The city of San Francisco filed to amend its claim to challenge the new name.
Under the settlement, signed last week and made public on Tuesday, Oakland may continue to use the name “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport” as long as it adheres to certain marketing agreements. Oakland, for example, cannot highlight the words “San Francisco” in fonts or colors that accentuate them within the airport name or promote its airport using the term “San Francisco” on its own. The words “San Francisco” must be preceded by “Oakland” in all marketing materials, the agreement states.
Smaller airports, like Oakland’s, have struggled in recent years, and the name change two years ago was an attempt to persuade people coming to the Bay Area to consider Oakland as a viable alternative to the larger and better known San Francisco airport.
“We’re proud Oakland fought for, and preserved the right to retain our airport’s full name that puts Oakland first and recognizes OAK’s location on the San Francisco Bay,” Mary Richardson, an attorney for the Port of Oakland, said in a statement Tuesday, using the facility’s three-letter airport code.
David Chiu, the city attorney for San Francisco, said in a statement that he was pleased the city and Oakland had come to an agreement that satisfied both parties. “When more visitors come to the Bay Area, our entire region benefits,” he said. “San Francisco cares deeply about the success of all of our Bay Area airports and tourist destinations.”
It is not entirely clear if the rebrand will help Oakland’s traffic. The name agreed to in the settlement has been in place since last summer, but traffic at the airport has fallen. Passenger traffic at Oakland had declined about 14 percent year over year as of February, according to the Port of Oakland, while domestic travel nationally has been relatively flat.
Pooja Salhotra covers breaking news across the United States.
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