Security in SYD is stricter on UA than ANY other airport in the world I have flown from with UA. And I have flown 80,000 miles on UA since 9/11.

Not ONLY is there the usual strict security search by regular security scanners, who took my eyebrow tweezers recently they are so strict, but at the gate lounge entry EVERY person also receives a long, detailed and thorough search of all carry-on by a team of UA paid security agents. Have flown out many times since 9/11, and this has been in place at all times. Allow up to 15 minutes for the gate check, which can be a shock if you overstay in RCC.

AFTER that they also randomly search again at boarding gate, and want to see BP, AND passport at boarding reader. (Despite the fact you have already passed Australian immigration desk, who are also very thorough and want to see both as well.

Re your query, QF are not Star, and even on Star I do not think UA is happy to accept domestic transfer bags to be interlined to a UA airport in other country. We flew Varig from Porto Alegre Brazil a few weeks back to Sao Paulo, and had an onward connecting flight to Miami on UA. There was no way UA accepted Varig interlining the bags to MIA from POA without undergoing their own GRU checks.

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[This message has been edited by Joh (edited 02-03-2002).]