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Squabble over airport's name heads to court in Florida

WPTV ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.jpg
Posted at 12:24 PM, Mar 21, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-21 12:24:00-04

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Apparently, this region ain't big enough for two airports with the name "Orlando."

The authority that governs Orlando International Airport has sued the authority for the much smaller Orlando Melbourne International Airport on Florida's Space Coast, claiming its name is misleading passengers into believing they're going to the theme park mecca instead of the coast.

The lawsuit filed this week in federal court asks that the airport in Melbourne stop using the word "Orlando" in its name.

The Melbourne airport is located about 70 miles (112 kilometers) southeast of the Orlando airport, which was the nation's 11th busiest in 2017.

A spokeswoman for the Space Coast airport says it doesn't comment on pending litigation.

Melbourne airport officials have said in the past both airports compete for the same market share.