Topter,
I found, at least in a lot of 3rd world airports in the south pacific area that uniforms and supercilleous-down-the-nose sneers got you the main access doorways in and out and the official places you had to go. You still got asked for 12 copies of "Gen Decs", still had to pay cash in local currency for fuel and no one knew where a photo copier or phone could be had at that time of night.
As soon as you are friendly, treat even the lowliest cleaner and porter with respect and smile a lot no matter how little they seem to be able to understand you, then things change.
They would open the door to their tea room to you, find a chocolate bar or the like when you're hungry and the need for half the paperwork suddenly disappeared. Often the only room with a phone or photocopier was locked but someone would miraculously find a key or jemmy the door for you.
Sneers never work as well as you think they do.