Oakland airport considering name change to include 'San Francisco Bay'
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland is appearing to take a page out of Houston's, Chicago's, New York's, and Dallas' books- incorporating a second "San Francisco" airport with a possible name change.
The Port of Oakland has proposed a possible name change to the Oakland airport, renaming it from Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.
The Oakland Port Commission oversees the airport's operations and will vote on the new name proposed by airport staff.
"It is the perfect way to identify geographically where the city of Oakland is," says Port Commission President Barbara Leslie.
When there's a lack of geographic awareness, market research with airline partners suggests routes don't perform as well, according to Craig Simon, the port's interim director of aviation.
Simon shared that air carriers are reluctant to sustain and add new routes in Oakland.
Port officials said their study showed over half of international travelers did not know the Oakland airport was in the San Francisco Bay Area, and that 30% of domestic travelers are unaware of the airport's location and its proximity to most of the Bay Area's population and most of the region's employers.
OAK has six nonstop international destinations, flying to Mexico and El Salvador, and in February, it was announced that the airport would receive $10 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to upgrade its bathrooms.
Airport officials say the change will boost travelers' "geographic awareness" of San Francisco Bay in addition to a financial boost to the region.
Port of Oakland officials say the airport code and visual brand would not change.
Some travelers oppose the name change.
"I think changing the name and putting San Francisco in the front is kind of a diss to Oakland and also going to create more confusion," Aubrey Aquino of Sacramento says she and her family frequently fly in and out of Oakland's airport.
It's not the first time the topic has been floated among officials. Back in 2007, the possibility was explored and studied in 2013. The topic was once again studied in 2023.
Airline partners have expressed support for the name change.
"Oakland helped put us on the map in California and we’re wholeheartedly supportive of this rebranding that acknowledges OAK’s economic position and influence in the San Francisco Bay Area while staying true to its Oakland roots," said Southwest Airlines' Vice President of Marketing Communications & Strategy Jennifer Bridie.
The name change proposal was prompted by consistent comments from local travelers who've expressed "their desire" for more direct flights for domestic and international destinations, and for that to happen, outside travelers "need to learn that OAK is located in the San Francisco Bay Area," close to several top destinations in the region.
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Mayor Sheng Thao expressed her support in a written statement saying in part: "This adjustment isn't just about signage-it's about inviting travelers to discover all that Oakland and the region have to offer."
However, not all politicians support the change.
In a statement to KTVU, State Sen. Scott Weiner said, "I love Oakland, but Oakland is Oakland. It's not San Francisco. Oakland's airport should not be cutting and pasting San Francisco International Airport into its name. Please find another way to turn things around.
"Maybe they just want to distance themselves from the negative connotation with the city," said Scott Black of Berkeley, who says he often uses Oakland airport when he travels.
He suspects that crime and violence in Oakland may be the reason for the name change proposal; "I can understand to a point on a business level, but I don't agree."
Another traveler, Mark Krajan from San Anselmo, who also flies in and out of Oakland, says "If you're trying to get people from abroad and not familiar with the Bay Area and the regional cities to come here, then including San Francisco in the name is probably a good idea."
"For us, it's about growing and growing opportunities for our employees, the travelers. It's leaning into this beautiful city that we all love," said Leslie.
The Port Commission will be listening to public comments about this name change proposal, discussing and voting on it at its meeting scheduled for April 11.