Indeed, on QZ8501... Ex-fastjet captain with over 20,000hrs (including significant time on the F5, 737, F27...). FO was newish to the type, first airline with 2,300hrs total and 1,300 on the Airbus, so presumably the rest of those hours on something far lighter. All of that stick and rudder time didn't seem count for anything. Regional issues aside, over here a freshly minted (and line released) MPL religiously following the SOPs and ECAM by the book would have saved the day. I don't find any difficulty in operating at their speed or to their comfort level. A decent EBT solution from a reputable airline (eg one who has actually been approved to run an MPL) should discover their limitations and areas of weakness and train them upto scratch.