The decades-long debate between the Orlando International Airport and its smaller counterpart, the Orlando Sanford International Airport, over their similar names, is set to continue in the courts. This ongoing dispute highlights the broader challenges airports face in a growing and often congested travel market.
The issue, first reported in an article by Martin E. Comas of the Orlando Sentinel last Thursday, is that the names of the two airports are so similar that travelers have, on multiple occasions, found themselves at the wrong facility.
While the Orlando International Airport is located about 14 miles south of downtown Orlando in Orange County, its counterpart, the Orlando Sanford International Airport, is over 30 miles to the north in Seminole County. This has been a cause for concern, especially given the significant distance between them when a traveler realizes they are in the wrong place.
The confusion even reached the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trial and Appeal Board. Last March, the board sided with the Orlando International Airport, deciding that the smaller airport’s name was indeed misleading to travelers. In response, the Sanford Airport Authority filed a lawsuit, seeking to overturn this decision.
In the lawsuit, the Sanford Airport Authority claimed that the names and logos of both airports are not confusingly similar. They argued that the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which operates the Orlando International Airport, is trying to monopolize the term “Orlando International Airport.” The lawsuit also noted that both airports have operated side by side, with their respective names, for almost three decades without issues.
In terms of scale and scope, the two are very different. The Orlando International Airport, close to the major theme parks, welcomed over 55 million passengers last year. In contrast, Sanford airport, with a focus on low-cost airlines, only saw 2.8 million passengers. However, Sanford is operated by VINCI Airports, one of the leading airport concession companies globally.
Moreover, Sanford airport’s lawsuit emphasized that they have numerous contracts with suppliers and airlines, none of which have been confused about which airport they were dealing with.
Yet, several travelers have expressed their confusion. Testimonies against Sanford airport’s trademark application highlighted cases of passengers booking flights, car rentals, or even shared rides to the wrong airport because of the similar names.
This isn’t the first time Orlando International Airport has taken action against facilities with similar names. In May 2021, after a long legal battle, Melbourne airport changed its name to Melbourne Orlando International Airport, a move driven by Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s concerns over a “misleading” name.
For now, it remains uncertain whether Sanford officials would consider renaming their airport to “Sanford Orlando International Airport” or possibly adopting a new name if their legal efforts are unsuccessful. They have stated that any such change would cause them “irreparable harm and damage.” The court hearing date, as detailed by the Orlando Sentinel, was not set as of last Thursday.
Orlando vs. Orlando
| Orlando (MCO) | Orlando Sanford (SFB) | |
| Destinations (Sep 2023) | 133 | 44 |
| Seats (Sep 2023) | 5,16 millones | 186.858 |
| Airlines (Sep 2023) | 33 | 1 |
| Passengers (2022) | 55.066.293 | 2801478 |
| Aircraft Movements (2022) | 359386 | 189761 |
| Runways | 4 | 4 |
| Area | 4696 ha | 1214 ha |
| Terminals | 3 | 1 |
| Gates | 93 | 16 |
Destination Network of Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Destination Network of Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB)
