Sydney Airport USA Security Interview. What time do they start?

[Sdtravel]

Does anyone know what time the security staff who conduct the US security interviews start in SYD?

In September im on QF11 departing at 9.35am and wanted to get to the airport between 5.30 & 6am.
While checkin & the lounge will probably be open. Will the security interview people be around that early?
If they dont have any in the QF checkin area i assume if there are other US bound flights such as UA who might have the screening people around at that time i could go to them and then go back to the QF checkin desk?

 

[harvyk]

If your not interviewed at check-in that shouldn't be an issue. There will be security people conducting interviews before your allowed through the glass doors at the gates.

Not everyone on your flight will have checked in at SYD, so a good number will get the questions just before boarding.

 

[blackcat20]

We had ours done at the bus gate in the domestic terminal. But yes, they’ll get you at the gate at the latest.

 

[Himeno]

Does anyone know what time the security staff who conduct the US security interviews start in SYD?

In September im on QF11 departing at 9.35am and wanted to get to the airport between 5.30 & 6am.
While checkin & the lounge will probably be open. Will the security interview people be around that early?
If they dont have any in the QF checkin area i assume if there are other US bound flights such as UA who might have the screening people around at that time i could go to them and then go back to the QF checkin desk?

Had to go through this pointless exercise at the start of the month via MEL for QF93.
They have a list of everyone who did not check in at the departure port. I assume the list has anyone who checked in before the contract security staff arrived at the check in counters.
When they check for the sticker prior to boarding, if they can't find it, they'll check the boarding pass against the list, then do the "interview" before allowing you into the gate area.

The last time I had to deal with this nonsense was at LHR around 10 years ago prior to a flight on AA (where they had no one doing interviews at the check in area and everyone got it before entering the gate area). They are one of the (many) reasons I stopped flying westbound transatlantic.

 

[kpc]

It is a bit of a hit and miss....last week at checkin at the AA counter in Sydney, I never got asked any security Qs or even at the gate!

 

[kermatu]

Not travelling there but heard the questions being asked at the domestic transfer bus. Such odd questions. What’s the point?

 

[fifo]

Sorry, what is this about? what are they asking people?

 

[kermatu]

Sorry, what is this about? what are they asking people?

What I overheard was - what is purpose, where going, where staying, have you been before etc.

 

[harvyk]

Sorry, what is this about? what are they asking people?

I was asked things like "where are you staying?" and "how long you going for?". It was basically the same questions customs officers normally ask at the other end.

Conversly the custom's officer didn't really ask very much at all.

 

[get me outta here]

Whilst asking all these somewhat related travelling / USA enter questions, they basically scrutinise you for signs that you are fibbing or obfuscating. Last year she did a good impression of someone who had no idea what I meant I was going to do when I said, “going to the theatre”. She said, “whaaat”? So I said, ‘the opera’, blank look so I said ‘musicals’, same blank look, so I said, ‘shows’ and then she got it. She also asked where my friend who I would be seeing but not staying with, lived and I was able to remember the suburb.

They main thing is to not look guilty.

 

[jpp42]

My last USA trip (and only trip since this process started), I "failed" the interview, I think due to being half asleep and having no concept whatsoever of why this guy was preventing me from getting in line. After finally realising what it was about (he didn't explain its a US government requirement, just that I couldn't go any further without asking his questions), he made a mark on the sticker put on my passport. At the entry to the gate hold area this got me pulled aside for the further interview and detailed bag search, after which I was cleared. I don't get what benefit the check-in interview has when even after "failing" it you still are allowed to check in. Why not deal with it all at the gate.

 

[parsonstrish]

It’s been 3 years since I travelled to Uu. Is this all passengers travelling to US?
I travel out on US passport, in on Aussie p/port.