The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has filed a lawsuit against the recently renamed San Francisco Bay-Oakland International Airport (OAK), arguing that the name sounds too similar and could confuse potential passengers.
It was countered by a case from Port of Oakland, requesting that the airport’s new label replacing “Metropolitan Oakland International Airport” should not be considered as an entirely different name. Copyright infringement.
“Change ‘San Francisco Bay’ to ‘Metropolis’ Auckland Airport”. OAK’s name is a fitting description of its location on the Bay and brands it as an alternative to traveling to the San Francisco Bay Area,” port attorney Mary Richardson said on Thursday when she announced the lawsuit.
She also suggested that the city attorney’s decision to file this lawsuit “is intended to obstruct consumer education, curtail expansion of air travel options for Bay Area residents and visitors, and wastes San Francisco taxpayer funds.”
Legal wrangling ensued in April when San Francisco officials filed a copyright infringement suit stating that the name change was aimed at stealing customers away and business from them.
As stated in the lawsuit, “Oakland Metropolitan International Airport unlawfully appropriated the trademarked title used by San Francisco International Airport in order to increase passengers and profits.”
The suit alleges that passengers can easily mix up these two destinations with serious consequences.
“In particular, international travelers who do not speak or read English are at high risk for misunderstandings,” according to one source.
“Travelers may become confused, book flights to an unintended airport believing ‘San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport’ is SFO, arrived at wrong location resulting in missed flights and transfer difficulties.”
Oakland officials voted unanimously yesterday to adopt this new title despite the litigation; luggage tags will still bear “OAK”.
Both of these airports are located just ten miles apart on either side of Golden Gate Strait.
None is actually situated in San Francisco – SFO is found within San Mateo County while OAK is located in Oakland.
It takes 20 to 40 minutes by cab to get downtown San Francisco from any of the two airports.
