A sign for Oakland International Airport station can be seen in Oakland, Calif. on Sunday, April 7, 2024.
As the director of SFO, I spend a great deal of time working to make air travel less stressful for people. Because — let’s be honest — there are plenty of moments in the journey that can fray nerves. Getting to the airport on time. Going through security screening. Dealing with weather delays. The list goes on.
So when the Port of Oakland advised me about its plans to rename its airport to include the words “San Francisco,” I was immediately concerned. A name change may not seem like a big deal but if the proposal goes through, it will only cause confusion and make the air travel experience more stressful.
I’ve seen firsthand how easily this confusion can happen. Several years ago, an international low-cost airline launched service at Oakland International Airport but marketed itself as an airline serving San Francisco. We saw several passengers for this airline arrive every day at San Francisco International Airport to check in for their flight, only to learn that their airline was operating in Oakland. Many missed their flight as a result. For this reason, among others, this airline eventually relocated its operations to SFO.
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If this can happen regularly for a single airline that isn’t clear about where it operates, imagine the impact of all flights at an airport being exposed to this level of confusion. That’s why various carriers have issued statements of concern about the proposal. Alaska Airlines, for example, said:
“Alaska Airlines has served the San Francisco Bay Area, including Oakland, for more than 40 years and supports the growth of all our airport partners. However, we believe a name change to the proposed ‘San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport’ could cause confusion and potential inconvenience to travelers, especially as one of three airports in the Bay Area already shares a similar name.”
Our newest domestic airline, Breeze, shared a similar — and understandable — sentiment:
“Breeze Airways is not in favor of the proposed renaming of Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Area/Oakland International Airport due to the confusion it could create for travelers — and therefore the subsequent issues that would create for airlines like Breeze — that operate from SFO.”
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And our international airlines are concerned as well. Japan Airlines said the following:
“We are deeply concerned about the proposed name change of Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Area Oakland International Airport, as it may confuse our international travelers, particularly those connecting to their flights. We respectfully ask the authorities to reconsider this proposal to avoid inconveniencing our valuable passengers.”
I’ve also talked to my counterparts at other major airports in the United States. This concern rings true in any location with duplicative naming conventions, like Washington-Dulles and Washington-National airports, which see each other’s passengers end up at the wrong airport daily.
The Port of Oakland stated that the name change proposal is intended to attract more passengers to its airport. I understand full well how important it is for an airport to attract passengers. Traveler activity is the lifeblood that drives the economic benefits of an airport. Passenger activity doesn’t just fill airplanes. It fills airport restaurants and retailers. It puts riders in taxis, limos, ridesharing and on public transit. Beyond the airport grounds, it puts guests in nearby hotels, drives spending in surrounding communities and creates jobs throughout these sectors.
What I’ve learned from over 30 years in this business is that the name of an airport doesn’t drive its success. It’s about the value proposition an airport makes to airlines, along with an airport’s accessibility, features and amenities. To generate more passengers, airports need to attract and retain airlines by managing what it costs to operate there. At SFO, we closely monitor these costs, always benchmarking against comparable airports to ensure we’re competitive.
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Airports must also invest in its facilities to create an experience that airlines and passengers love. Over the past decade, we’ve delivered beautiful new award-winning facilities, like Harvey Milk Terminal 1 and the Grand Hyatt at SFO while renovations continue in Terminal 3. We’ve opened yoga rooms and launched a team of therapy animals. We’ve also made less attention-grabbing but equally important changes like overhauling our signage and how we number gates to make finding your way easier and more intuitive.
To drive business, Metropolitan Oakland International Airport needs to do the same.
The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office has threatened to sue the Port of Oakland if it proceeds with the name change. As San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said in a statement, “We want to see the entire Bay Area thrive as a tourist destination … but this proposal is not a legal or practical way to go about it.”
He’s right.
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The Port of Oakland is right to want to boost passenger traffic. But a confusing name change is not the way to do it.
Ivar C. Satero is the director of the San Francisco International Airport.
Changing Oakland airport’s name will confuse and make travel even more stressful
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11.04.2024
A sign for Oakland International Airport station can be seen in Oakland, Calif. on Sunday, April 7, 2024.
As the director of SFO, I spend a great deal of time working to make air travel less stressful for people. Because — let’s be honest — there are plenty of moments in the journey that can fray nerves. Getting to the airport on time. Going through security screening. Dealing with weather delays. The list goes on.
So when the Port of Oakland advised me about its plans to rename its airport to include the words “San Francisco,” I was immediately concerned. A name change may not seem like a big deal but if the proposal goes through, it will only cause confusion and make the air travel experience more stressful.
I’ve seen firsthand how easily this confusion can happen. Several years ago, an international low-cost airline launched service at Oakland International Airport but marketed itself as an airline serving San Francisco. We saw several passengers for this airline arrive every day at San Francisco International Airport to check in for their flight, only to learn that their airline was operating in Oakland. Many missed their flight as a result. For this reason, among others, this airline eventually relocated its operations to SFO.
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If this can happen regularly for a single airline that isn’t clear........
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