San Francisco and neighboring Oakland have very long taken care of a welcoming rivalry, no matter if in excess of sports or tacos. But a spat about an airport name is taking the feud to new heights.
San Francisco on Thursday sued Oakland about that city’s determination to alter the identify of its airport to the San Francisco Bay Oakland intercontinental airport.
San Francisco is accusing Oakland of trademark infringement, and arguing the modify would generate “consumer confusion”.
The airport, now recognized as Oakland international airport, is making an attempt to “increase travellers and revenue by hurrying to unlawfully include San Francisco Worldwide Airport’s trademarked name into its own”, the lawsuit states.
The board of commissioners in Oakland voted final week to transfer forward with a title alter – a last vote is scheduled for May perhaps. Officials with the Oakland airport have said tourists who are not acquainted with the Bay Region at times pick to fly into San Francisco, not noticing that Oakland is in some instances closer to their place.
“This identify will make it distinct that OAK is the closest significant airport, for 4.1 million folks, 3 countrywide laboratories, the top rated general public university in the place and California’s wine region,” Barbara Leslie, the port commission president, explained after the vote.
Officers in San Francisco voiced their dismay with the strategy straight away, arguing that it would confuse vacationers, specially all those coming from out of the nation and individuals who really don’t discuss English, and could injury the vacation business in the area.
The San Francisco mayor, airport director and board of supervisors have all arrive out versus the title improve.
“I love Oakland, but Oakland is Oakland. It is not San Francisco,” Scott Wiener, the point out senator who signifies San Francisco, stated on X.
Supporters of Oakland’s strategy have pointed out that San Francisco’s airport is not located in the city, but in the close by neighborhood of Millbrae – and that the Oakland airport is right after all found on the San Francisco Bay.
In a assertion about the lawsuit submitted on Thursday, the city attorney for San Francisco claimed that the metropolis had been notified of the proposal only 30 minutes before Oakland declared it to the public in March and that Oakland experienced “refused to engage”.
“We had hoped Oakland would arrive to its senses, but their refusal to collaborate on an appropriate alternative name leaves us no selection but to file a lawsuit to shield SFO’s trademark,” stated David Chiu, the town legal professional. “We want to see the complete Bay Spot thrive as a tourist vacation spot and broaden our offerings to guests, but the renaming is not a lawful or useful way to go about it.”
Oakland officers say they will go forward with the improve.
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“OAK’s proposed renaming does not infringe on SFO’s mark,” the Port of Oakland stated in a assertion. “We will vigorously defend our proper to claim our spot on the San Francisco Bay.”
Whilst San Francisco officers weren’t laughing, the net was.
Oakland Airport should transform its name to Paris Charles de Gaulle just so we can see the expression on everybody’s encounter when they get off the aircraft.
— Mick LaSalle (@MickLaSalle) April 15, 2024
“The San Francisco Airport of Oakland that is also variety of close to San Jose and just a quick push from Sacramento and other towns and stuff”https://t.co/sDkIcuzsPz
— Anti-Fisher by Design (@AsFanByDesign) April 12, 2024
The Involved Push contributed to this report