Oakland Airport’s Identity Crisis Enters Season 3 As New Name Change Approved

The saga of what to call the airport formerly known as “Oakland International” continued Thursday when yet another name was thrown into the ring. Oakland’s Board of Port Commissioners, which runs the city’s seaport and airport, voted unanimously to change the name from “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport” to “Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport.”

“We’re proud to put Oakland first and highlight the geographical reality that Oakland is located on the San Francisco Bay,” said Port of Oakland spokesperson Kaley Skantz. The move comes a little more than a year after the board changed the name from Oakland International Airport with the intention of making it clear to travelers that the airport is in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Even before port officials changed the name the first time, however, San Francisco sued to stop the rebranding over copyright claims and allegations that it would confuse travelers. Oakland officials forged ahead with the name change and then countersued, but a judge ordered the new name to be stricken from use, at least temporarily. Oakland appealed that decision and the case is still pending. In the meantime, port commissioners Thursday approved the new moniker makeover, presumably so they can still use “San Francisco Bay” in the name while the legal issues work themselves out. “The Port remains confident that the use of the SF Bay name does not infringe on SFO’s mark and the Port will continue to strongly defend its rights in the pending litigation and appeal,” according to a staff report presented to commissioners. It’s unclear which name the port will use if they prevail in court, but San Francisco made its position on the new name pretty clear Thursday, with a representative from the city calling the commissioners’ decision “disingenuous” and “confusing.”

“The Oakland San Francisco Bay name is just more of the same,” SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel told the commissioners. “If the port is genuinely motivated by concerns that travelers are unaware of Oakland’s location, there are many ways that it can educate the public that don’t involve adopting a name that sows confusion and capitalizes on San Francisco’s brand.” Michael Colbruno, president of the Board of Port Commissioners, took offense to Yakel’s objections and reminded attendees that in the 1920s, San Francisco changed the name of its airport, which is next to Millbrae, from Mills Field because people didn’t associate Millbrae with San Francisco. “So you added San Francisco to the name,” Colbruno said. “So let’s just start there — how hypocritical and disingenuous that is.” Thursday’s vote was on the first reading of the proposed name change. In order for it to take effect, another vote, currently scheduled for July 24, needs to take place. Whatever name the airport is ultimately known by, “OAK” will remain its airport code, along with the “I Fly OAK” logo.