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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) \u2014 San Francisco has settled a two-year legal fight with its neighbor across the bay that will allow the city of Oakland to include \u201cSan Francisco\u201d in its airport\u2019s name if it doesn\u2019t highlight the two words in any way.<\/p>\n
The settlement announced Tuesday allows Oakland\u2019s airport to be called \u201cOakland San Francisco Bay Airport,\u201d but it bars the city from spotlighting \u201cSan Francisco\u201d or \u201cSan Francisco Bay\u201d in fonts, highlights, different colors or any other way. It also requires Oakland to use the word \u201cbay\u201d right after \u201cSan Francisco\u201d and bans it from using the word \u201cInternational\u201d in the airport\u2019s name, even though it provides international flights.<\/p>\n
The spat began in 2024 after Oakland, a diverse port city often seen as the underdog in the Bay Area compared to its richer neighbor to the west, changed its airport\u2019s name to \u201cSan Francisco-Oakland Bay Airport,\u201d prompting San Francisco officials to sue over what they said was a trademark violation.<\/p>\n
The two airports are across from each other on the San Francisco Bay and about 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) driving distance.<\/p>\n
Oakland officials said the name modification was necessary to help travelers unfamiliar with the region place the city in the Bay Area. They said visitors often fly into San Francisco\u2019s airport even if their destination is closer to the Oakland airport. The airport\u2019s three-letter code OAK did not change.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re proud Oakland fought for, and preserved the right to retain our airport\u2019s full name that puts Oakland first and recognizes OAK\u2019s location on the San Francisco Bay,\u201d Mary Richardson, attorney for the Port of Oakland, which manages the airport, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
San Francisco argued having \u201cSan Francisco\u201d in Oakland\u2019s airport name would confuse travelers, especially those flying in from abroad and those unfamiliar with the Bay Area. But on Tuesday, San Francisco officials had a friendlier tone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are grateful to have reached a resolution in this matter,\u201d San Francisco International Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet said. \u201cThis agreement provides clarity for travelers to make informed decisions about travel through our respective airports.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neither side admitted liability, and there was no monetary settlement.<\/p>\n
San Francisco International Airport, known as SFO, is owned by the city, though technically located south of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n