I don't think we need to get bogged down thinking that problems of high altitude flight characteristics are the sole domain of jet a/c.... All a/c have a service ceiling ( from way back I seem to remember that it is when an a/c is incapable of sustaining a 50 ft per min rate of climb... any a/c at that point is going to be a bit sensitive and you don't have to be Chuck Yeager to recognise that you're approaching the edge of the flight envelope..swept wing jets are more tricky for sure ..especially when they give up trying to fly...but the lack of awareness demonstrated by the MD 82 crew and even more so by the pinnacle crew leaves one wondering just how easily professional licences are obtained in some countries..