Judge orders Oakland airport to halt use of "San Francisco Bay" name in trademark dispute
A federal judge has ordered Oakland airport officials to stop using "San Francisco Bay" in its name, amid a trademark dispute with San Francisco officials.
On Tuesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson issued a preliminary injunction against the Port of Oakland, which operates the airport, from using the name at its facilities and in advertising.
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu released a statement after the injunction was issued.
"For months, we have tried reasoning with Oakland officials to avoid litigation and come up with alternative names that would work for all of us," said Chiu. "Unfortunately, those efforts were not productive, and we had no choice but to ask the court to step in and protect our trademark. San Francisco has invested millions in making San Francisco International Airport® the world class airport it is today. We have built an incredible brand, and we are happy the Court agreed that brand should be legally protected from trademark infringement."
The SFO Airport director added that they were "grateful for the this decision."
"This ruling is ultimately a win for Bay Area travelers. My thanks go out to the City Attorney for their commitment to this issue," Director Ivar C. Satero said.
In April, the port approved changing the name from "Metropolitan Oakland International Airport" to "San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport" while keeping the airport code OAK.
At the time, the airport said it was seeking to boost the number of people flying to and from the East Bay, noting that many out-of-town passengers were not aware about Oakland's location in relation to the rest of the Bay Area.
The move prompted criticism across the bay at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Days after the decision, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed a lawsuit against Oakland, arguing the renaming infringes on the SFO trademark.
In response, the Port of Oakland filed a countersuit against San Francisco, saying their lawsuit was "prematurely" filed.
Chiu sought an injunction in September, arguing that the renamed airport had also caused confusion among visitors.
"SFO has already suffered economic harm while Oakland is profiting from SFO's investment and reputation and services. And I'll note, all of us will want the entire Bay Area region to succeed when it comes to tourism. We want Oakland airport to do well. But this isn't a practical or legal way for them to go about it," Chiu told CBS News Bay Area in an interview on Sep. 17.
Robert Bernardo with the Port of Oakland released a statement to CBS News Bay Area saying, "The court's ruling found that two of the three types of confusion alleged by SFO were without merit."
"The court order temporarily blocks OAK's new name on the basis of the third type of alleged confusion: that travelers may think OAK is affiliated with SFO. OAK is not associated with SFO, of course, but is rather a convenient and centrally located option for travelers throughout the Bay Area," Bernardo went on to say.
The port said they are reviewing the ruling and are considering all available options.