This airport name battle is far from over, but a federal judge just handed down a ruling saying that for now, Oakland Airport cannot call itself ‘San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport’ until SF’s lawsuit against the name change plays out.

When Oakland International Airport announced in April that they intended to change their name to “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport,” SF City Attorney David Chiu vowed he’d haul their asses to court if they went through with the move. Well, Oakland went through with the name change in May, and sure enough, Chiu filed an injunction against the Port of Oakland that runs Oakland Airport, hoping to at least put a temporary halt to the name change.  

And Chiu got his way, if only for the time being. The Chronicle reports that US Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson blocked Oakland Airport from using “San Francisco” in its name, though the injunction is just temporary, and there will be plenty more time in court as this legal dispute plays out.

“The San Francisco International Airport brand is routinely ranked among the top airport brands,” Judge Hixson wrote in his 34-page ruling. “By contrast, the Oakland airport is much smaller than SFO, with more limited infrastructure, and far fewer flights. It is rated worse in terms of customer satisfaction. The new name for the Oakland airport strongly implies affiliation with San Francisco and the San Francisco International Airport. This damages the goodwill and value of San Francisco’s Mark and deprives San Francisco of control over its Mark.”

The “Mark” he refers to is the SFO’s trademark of its name San Francisco International Airport. And the ruling seems more of a trademark distinction, rather than an argument that customers might be confused. “San Francisco is likely to prevail on its claim that the new name of the Oakland airport uses San Francisco’s Mark in a way that falsely implies affiliation, connection and association” with SFO, Hixson wrote.

But in terms of SFO’s claims that customers are getting confused and going to the wrong airport, the judge seems to agree with the Port of Oakland that no one is really going to the wrong airport.  

“It is very difficult to see how an internet shopper would confuse OAK and SFO and buy a ticket to the wrong airport,” he wrote.

But the judge also added that there is little pain for Oakland Airport in halting the name change now. Thus far, they’ve only just installed a few signs, though they must stop installing any further signage until this case is decided.

“The harm to the Port is minimal when it remains free to use the well-known name for the Oakland airport that it has used for 60 years,” Hixson wrote.

Related: SF City Attorney Threatens Lawsuit Over Plan to Add 'San Francisco' to Oakland Airport Name [SFist]

Image: OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Travelers walk towards Terminal 2 at Oakland International Airport on April 12, 2024 in Oakland, California. The Board of Commissioners for the Port of Oakland voted on Thursday to proceed with a plan to change the name of Oakland International Airport to the San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport. San Francisco officials are objecting to the proposed name change and have threatened to file a lawsuit arguing it would violate the city’s trademark on San Francisco International Airport and would potentially be confusing for people traveling to the area. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)