The administration overseeing Montreal’s international airport is heading to court in an attempt to prevent a burgeoning suburban airport from rebranding itself with the city’s name, citing potential confusion among travelers.
On the other hand, the airport facing legal action accuses the international airport of trying to uphold a “monopoly.”
Aéroports de Montréal, the entity operating Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, has filed for a permanent injunction in Quebec Superior Court to compel the new Montreal Metropolitan Airport to alter its name.
Formerly known simply as the Saint-Hubert airport due to its location in Longueuil, Quebec, the Montreal Metropolitan Airport adopted its new name in February following the announcement of a partnership with Porter Airlines for a new $200 million terminal capable of accommodating up to four million domestic travelers annually.
Eric Forest, spokesperson for Aéroports de Montréal, argues that Montreal Metropolitan Airport’s name is too similar to the international airport’s, situated in Dorval on the Island of Montreal and serving over 21 million passengers in 2023.
While the authority did not disclose the specifics of its injunction request, Mr. Forest stated via email that they are “concerned about the confusion this change could cause for passengers, both from Montreal and elsewhere, considering the very close similarities between the names.”
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The authority had voiced its opposition to the name change upon its announcement and, failing to reach a compromise, opted for legal action. Additionally, the authority disputes the name due to the Montreal Metropolitan Airport’s location on Montreal’s South Shore rather than the Island of Montreal.
However, Simon-Pierre Diamond, a vice-president at the Montreal Metropolitan Airport, argues that their facility, also known as the MET, has a strong claim to the Montreal name as it is closer to the city center than Montreal-Trudeau International Airport.
Mr. Diamond highlights that many major cities have multiple airports, and the MET, previously catering to flight academies and local pilots flying small aircraft, will now serve commercial passengers traveling through the Montreal area.
“ADM doesn’t hold a monopoly on airports for Montreal residents, and we believe it is within our rights to use this name,” he mentioned in an interview. “There is a new contender in the scene, and engaging in a legal battle over the name to safeguard a monopoly isn’t the right approach.”
The MET’s new terminal, set to open in the summer of 2025, will be approximately 15 kilometers from downtown Montreal.
