SFO officials push back against proposed Oakland airport name change

Alex Baker
·2 min read
2

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — San Francisco International Airport officials have expressed “serious concerns” over a proposal to incorporate “San Francisco” into the name of the Oakland airport. In a video released on Friday, Oakland International Airport announced that the Port of Oakland was considering changing the airport’s name from “Metropolitan Oakland International Airport” to “San Francisco Oakland International Airport.”

The proposed name change is intended to “boost inbound travelers’ geographic awareness of the airport’s location on the San Francisco Bay,” according to Port Commission President Barbara Leslie.

“This will protect our airport’s over 30,000 good-paying, direct jobs and $1.6 billion in economic impact on the region,” she added.

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“Oakland consistently hears from local travelers about their desire for more direct flights to domestic and global destinations,” read a statement from Port of Oakland officials. “To make this happen, travelers who live outside the region need to learn that OAK is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and close to the region’s top destinations.”

“Market research and interviews with airline partners have shown that routes have not performed as well as they should have due to the lack of geographic awareness, making air carriers reluctant to suspect and add new routes in Oakland,” said Port of Oakland Interim Director of Aviation Craig Simon.

The airport’s airport code, OAK, and visual brand will not change, according to port officials.

But on Monday, officials at SFO, which is located in San Bruno, expressed concern that the name change could lead to “the potential for customer confusion and disservice.”

“SFO has operated since 1927 and has used the name ‘San Francisco Airport’ or ‘San Francisco International Airport’ for most of its history, making it immediately recognizable to customers,” said SFO Airport Director Ivar C. Sateros. “Given this history, we anticipate the new name being considered by the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport will cause confusion for the public, either through a misunderstanding of its physical location or its perceived relationship to SFO.”

“We request Metropolitan Oakland International Airport not proceed with any name change that would incorporate the use of ‘San Francisco,’ as this would only result in confusion and inconvenience to the traveling public we all serve,” SFO officials said.

State Sen. Scott Weiner also expressed reservations about the proposed name change, writing on X, “I love Oakland, but Oakland is Oakland. It’s not San Francisco. Oakland’s airport should nut be cutting & pasting San Francisco International Airport into its name. Please find another way to turn things around.”

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