When Irene Martinez met her sister Mary arriving from Phoenix at the Stockton Airport, both were stunned to hear the news.
"Oh no," Irene said.
"Why," Mary asked.
It's true.
The airport is considering changing its name from Stockton Metropolitan Airport to the San Francisco-Stockton Regional Airport.
"We already have a San Francisco Airport. Why can't we leave it in Stockton," Irene said.
"It's fine if that's what they want to do, but I just kind of like this just like it is," Mary said.
As the cliché goes, it’s all about location, location, location.
And airport personnel believe people out of the area have trouble knowing where Stockton even is.
"It's a marketing decision aimed at increasing the activity at the airport and the recognition of the airport," said Airport Director Harry Mavrogenes.
He hopes the name change will attract more ridership and perhaps attract more airlines and flights to hub airports like LAX for example.
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors takes up the name change at its meeting next Tuesday.