Monday, September 9, 2024 San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has recently been tracking an uptick in passenger confusion following a name change at the nearby Oakland Airport. Earlier this year, Oakland’s Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK) rebranded itself as San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, leading to misunderstandings among travelers and prompting the City of San Francisco to file a trademark infringement lawsuit against Oakland. Traditionally, SFO has served as the main airport for San Francisco, located on the western side of the Bay.
However, OAK’s new name aims to reflect its position on the eastern side of the Bay Area, with airport officials suggesting that the change will boost geographic awareness and increase domestic and international connections. Since the rebranding, SFO has encountered several cases of confused passengers. Between June 18th and July 1st, six instances were recorded where travelers arrived at SFO mistakenly, thinking their flights were departing from there instead of OAK.
Some of these passengers had tickets for airlines that don’t serve SFO, while others were bound for destinations without direct flights from the airport. While SFO authorities anticipated that OAK’s name change could lead to such confusion, Oakland officials have defended the decision. They believe that the new name provides clarity for passengers about the airport’s location and could attract more nonstop services.
Though SFO has faced confusion, OAK has not reported any similar incidents. Nonetheless, the issue escalated into legal action in April when San Francisco’s City Attorney filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit against Oakland. The Port of Oakland responded by seeking court confirmation that the name change does not constitute trademark infringement.
Despite the legal dispute, the name change has been welcomed by passengers and airline partners at OAK. Southwest Airlines, the airport’s largest carrier, and other low-cost airlines like Spirit Airlines have supported the rebranding. Oakland officials hope the new name will improve connectivity, particularly after the airport lost over 40 routes in the past 16 years.
However, OAK has seen a rise in international traffic, with a 42.1% increase recorded in January 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. International carriers, including Volaris, which connects OAK to five Mexican destinations, have also backed the name change, bolstering the airport’s future prospects.
Despite the ongoing legal challenges, OAK is positioning itself as a more competitive alternative for Bay Area travelers..
