The skies may be friendly, but maybe not the airports. Orlando International Airport’s owner, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), has filed a lawsuit against Melbourne Airport Authority (MAA) for naming its airport Orlando Melbourne International Airport.

According to the lawsuit, GOAA claims the MAA is deliberately trying to mislead passengers and is promoting "unfair competition" by using the word "Orlando" in its name. GOAA is demanding "Orlando" be removed from the name and compensation be paid. For the record, neither airport is in the heart of the city: Orlando International is 12 miles outside of the city center; the smaller Orlando Melbourne International Airport is about 60 miles southeast of the larger airport and 70 miles from the city center.

Negotiations have been under way to resolve this matter since 2015 when the name was first used. The current lawsuit was recently filed after ongoing negotiations failed.

Attorneys for the GOAA wrote that: “Given the passenger volume of Orlando International Airport, its established reputation, extensive capital investments, superior customer service amenities, and its location in Orlando, one of the Nation’s top tourism destinations, it is obvious that MLB is attempting to use the Illegal Advertisements to confuse customers in order to divert business from Orlando International Airport and misappropriate GOAA’s established goodwill and brand recognition of the Orlando International Airport Trademark."

MAA counters that the argument has no merit. News reports indicate GOAA is using taxpayer money to fund the lawsuit.

—Source: simpleflying.com