Old thread, but I just wanted to check if (a) this is still the current policy, and (b) whether anybody's had any luck getting a bag checked through anyway? I'm on an award flight in business from Perth to Melbourne, connecting to United on a separate PNR. It's not the end of the world if I have to pick my bags up and hang around for a couple of hours until United checkin opens, but it'd be nice to avoid it if possible.