Hey,

Did a quick Millage run this week, MEL-SYD-LAX-JFK-o/night-LAX-4D-SFO-SYD-MEL.

I bought my Duty Free in SFO, sealed and carried on board as normal, however on my gate entry at Sydney I was told I would need to check in as luggage and even had my matches taken away on a full pad down search.

Basically I had to transfer the laptop/batteries/other items to the DFS bag and check in my travelpack, after I put up a fuss to why I need to buy an extra bag for duty free items.

United said this was at request of the Sydney Airport, not United, and if a DFS was available at Sydney airport they would have asked I return for a refund, like any locally purchased duty free items.

On asking if I fly United to Melbourne in the future via Sydney was duty free allowed, I was given the response "it is subject law changes and they offer the right to refuse duty free items on this flight"

So this basically means, I can not legally fly duty free on United to Melbourne via Sydney, I was also clearly told, that unless I pack it in a non see though bag it would be stolen, hence the transfer of everything out of the backpack to the DFS bag for duty free items.

The adding of extra, Oversize collection was given on the per fact I was not told before my arrival, and asked to sign that it was packed improper/fragile for the items it contained.

United was willing to let me board with Matches (taken away by Sydney) and the DFS bag still sealed by SFO, so why am I not allowed to continue to Melbourne?

I thought the delay in SYD on the way out was bad without a toilet, unless you wanted to clear security again, on return 1h delay boarding, 1h for a late connecting flight, to wait for a late flight 839 that ran out of fuel and had to land in Brisbane.

Thank you United for this Gold Status achieving flight!

747-400 from Sydney to Melbourne and I was still hunked in 36G!