I'm flying out of SYD on Thursday with a domestic connection from BNE on Qantas.With all the new baggage matching rules , do I need to claim by bags from domestic QF and then physically transfer them to the UA checkin at the International terminal?
If so , that is a lot of hassle.
Last time I did this trip ,I flew in November,QF tagged to my final US destination and the checkin agent just confirmed the bag details with their own baggage section.
Ozflier

I flew with QF from Maroochydore on 21 December and was able to check luggage through to US. UA called the ramp when I checked in to let them know that my bags could be loaded. My friend, however, travelled the same route on 29 December. They remembered that they had checked my bags through. They informed him, however, that they were not allowed to check the bags through. I guess this is something they found out after checking my bags through. It could possibly have had something to do with the shoe bomb incident, which occured after I had gone through. On 29 December all of the luggage to be checked was hand searched, so my friend's transfer was quite a hassle.

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

on jan-31-2002 in Melbourne UA had all (checked-in and hand-luggage) bags hand-searched.

So my guess is, that no check-through possible anymore in Australia.

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).]

Well,I checked again with UA Sydney today and they assured me that my bags could be checked all the way thru to a US destination by QF in Brisbane .I'll let you know what happens.
PS Do they still have real French Champagne in international business class?
Ozflier

Genuine Champagne not too often by our observation, and we drink them dry of whatever has bubbles inside.

Usually that nasty Veuve Amiot or Bouvet stuff you also see on domestic. Or Gobillard fake fizz. Drappier or Duval-Leroyare are usually on menus, but more often than not they are pouring Bouvet.

I can see things have taken a turn for the worse!
Ozflier

I have flown 80,001 miles on UA since 9-11... Seriously though, I am around there too.

But I have found one difference with UA's SYD security. It's never rushed and never really adds much additional time nor inconvenience to that experienced in US airports. And the 8 or so gate side check stations at the gate never generate much of a line when compared with some of the European destinations eg. FRA.

Hmmm, catch cab to airport in 2 hours for AMS so will see SYD security first hand again. Will be 95,000 flown on UA after 9/11 after today.

HOWEVER be warned that since UA oddly now have both their daily flights to West Coast taking off very close together that gate security section now has LONNNG lines most times we have found. It used to be the 2 flights were quite a few hours apart, hence no overlap at gate or in RCC either, but the new schedules have altered that. NOW you get two 747 loads of pax all being herded into that ONE gate area, via the security opening, for similar departure times. There is always a guy there squawking "LAX passengers only up front first please" etc.

I can't believe how much Business class has gone down since last year.
I flew SYD-SFO on the 7 february to find luckily the great seats but most of the rest gone.I had 3 glasses of French Champagne and then all they had was the cheap sparkling wine.
Gone are the Godiva chocs,the cheese and Port and a decent mid flight snack.Plus one of my bags is still missing!UA has to ask why we just don't go and fly Air New Zealand.
Ozflier