MEL is dreadful. The experience of operating all night, arriving early morning and entering the baggage/quarantine area is usually the low point of the entire flight.
Long lineups behind the Middle East crews at Customs (at least there is a dedicated crew channel there) is just a foretaste of the baggage/quarantine area, where thronging masses of humanity fight their way from the baggage carousels with their luggage to where the head of the AQIS inspection queue 'might' be.
I've actually offered to go to Officeworks and make them up a sign saying 'Priority for Crew' so that at least we can go to the head of the x-ray lineup, but it's 'why should you be any different, mate?'
'Well, we've been working all night, the passengers have been sleeping, watching television and drinking wine...
mate'.
