Hook, you state this....
''Through experience have learnt that arguing with security, immigration or customs personnel at airports is a huge faux pas. These people are very powerful and they should be treated with caution and respect''
I agree with you to a point. But I think you should have said............ 'APPEAR to treat them with respect''.
I have always 'appeared' to treat customs officials with respect but in some stations, and OZ always fulfills this requirement, THEY are a bunch of clowns !! I have the utmost respect for Ozzies in general, much to the disagreement of my peers, but their customs and immigration morons have a general lack of respect for aircrew. I show them respect, yet they treat our crew like we are criminals. It annoys me, yet I refrain from giving them an excuse to persecute us further. I truly believe it comes down to a jealousy issue with them. They view us as having this glorious lifestyle, which clearly is not the case, and as such give us a hard time when entering OZ on a daily basis. Its much the same as the way Canadian immigration and customs treats aircrew, in my opinion. Just wait till EK has to deal with immigration at Toronto airport. Its a joke and i'm totally certain that there will be some issues in the near future there.
Everyone talks about a lack of 'aircrew' line at some airports. Just wait till you get in line with 4 other airline crews in Toronto, with one customs officer, and then you will wish you could be afforded the relative comforts of OZ. haha. I truly believe these high school flunk outs, are just waiting to take advantage of crew after a 14 hour flight.
I have no doubt this US pilot just lost it when confronted with stupidity. I don't blame him at all, I can totally understand his frustration. Sadly, he will lose in the end, in spite of the fact that he may have been correct to admonish someone who quite frankly, is an 'idiot in a customs uniform.'
At least in Mombai, or Lahore or Damascus, they treat us aircrew with a certain amount of respect. Yes, it is not always warranted but at least that is the starting point when they greet us. Sadly, some places like OZ, Canada and many US ports, that is not the generally the case.
My attitude is this........... pretend to respect them, do as they wish, and then have a good laugh about them when you leave. Generally speaking customs and immigration workers are uneducated, ignorant, 'trailor-park trash' individuals, but that is just my opinion based upon interactions I have witnessed with aircrew.
I don't give a rats ass if anyone disagrees with me, I have seen these morons in action with aircrew, and it makes me laugh. Just smile, give them that condescending look and walk away after complying with their wishes. They live in a different reality than the rest of us, and nothing we say or do will change their point of view with respect to aircrew. Don't give them an excuse to abuse you further.