For those who want to know...
The training recieved by those of us at EK, we had 2 days groundschool, almost exclusively computer based training, followed by 2 sim sessions. The A340-300 manuals we had were handed back in after the grounschool was completed as there were not sufficient for us to keep them.
The sim sessions were flown on the A340-300 but the emphasis for techniques was for the A340-500. So we were taught the 1/2 sidestick input (as opposed to 2/3 for the -300) and to quick check the maltese cross was at 9 degrees pitch up (purely used as a cross check).
On the night of the incident, it was the first operating flight for BOTH the crew on the A340 (of either series) at an airfield which has its inherent problems associated with an elevation of 5500 feet.
It is rumoured that there were no FCOMs on board and that there was no laptop for use as a reference to the documents either.
The tech log had notification of the captains sidestick having approximately 1.5 cm of slack before any control surface reaction was noticed.
Somebody mentioned the Swiss Cheese model....here the holes lined up perfectly and the result is now history.
What happens next is up to the operating crew to decide, but I wish them luck and one has to now think of the future of the 'Award Buying Airline'.