Oakland's airport is changing its name again

Port of Oakland officials will rename the airport to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport after a protracted legal battle with San Francisco regarding trademark rights. San Francisco’s lawsuit arose after Oakland International Airport changed its name in an effort to attract more passengers. Craig Simon, the Port's aviation director, emphasized that the new name seeks to clarify OAK's location on the San Francisco Bay, addressing a lack of awareness that research identified as a factor in reduced flight demand. The name change aims to comply with a court order while the legal situation is resolved. Previously, the rebranding led to confusion, with reports of passengers arriving at SFO for flights from OAK.

City attorney David Chiu highlighted that this confusion particularly affected international travelers. The Port will present the name change proposal to its Commission on July 10, with the new name expected to be adopted by July 24. This ongoing dispute underscores the complexities of branding and geographic identity in the competitive airline industry.