Coming on UA I don't mind the stop in GRU. I go up to the RCC and have something to eat and drink, especially if I have skipped breakfast on the plane. And if I happen to be in an eligible ticket class, I can use the arrivals lounge there. And as I have posted elsewhere, one no longer goes through security if continuing to GIG, at least for UA. An agent in the hallway directs GIG pax back into the secure waiting area. This change took place this past January. And since I continue on from GIG, connections are such that if I arrived in GIG earlier, I'd just be waiting there longer. YMMV. In fact, I sometimes encounter the oil field types that have come in on the direct CO flight and they are usually on their second six-pack by then.