Travelers move through the ticketing line at Southwest Airlines in Terminal 2 at the Oakland International Airport on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. San Francisco is threatening legal action against Oakland International Airport’s operators if they do not drop plans to include the words San Francisco in the potential renaming of the East Bay aviation hub.
Pelicans and gulls swim near the Oakland International Airport on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. The surveys also showed that 64% of respondents said it is either “extremely important” or “very important” to expand Oakland airport’s flight offerings, and are comfortable with a name change as part of that effort.
Officials said the proposed renaming would be particularly challenging for international travelers who may not speak or read English—an “important segment of SFO’s customer base.” The possible name change is part of a broader effort by the Oakland airport to attract more domestic and international flights, improve the passenger experience at the aviation complex, including an upgrade of the Terminal 1 check-in lobby, and the addition of new concessions and restaurants.