I dont think so.
Maybe the airport stuff but not a weekend at a detention centre. I mean the people at the detention centre didnt seem to think it was normal.
I'd say if you arrived from anywhere in Asia or Latin America you'd get the same treatment or worse. I don't know what would happen to an American as I suppose they know better than to do it.
His particular circumstances aren't normal though. Almost everyone would have a return flight booked. He also couldn't show why he was there or where he was staying.
Obviously don’t know in this managers case but if I hear “Brits get fucked at airport” stories, I assume they’ve kicked off and the officials have had enough of them. Like the Brits think they’re dealing with a customer service desk and they can stand around and be bolshie. Instead of being at the sharp end of a foreign country’s border control procedures.