this just in from the our "mine is better than yours department"...
The A340-600 has less range and fewer seats than a 777-300ER and is 60,000 pounds (60,000 pounds!) heavier when empty. Think about that. Once you have boarded 250 paying passengers on an ER it becomes as heavy as an empty -600.
For airlines who make a large proportion of their revenue from freight it will be important that crew rest areas are above the roof of the passenger compartment rather than taking up valuable space in the holds.
Seems like all the state subsidies that your local kleptocracy can provide can't buy good design. I hear they do a good "straight cucumber" law, though. Take pride.