As for the SNPL, their opinion has to be seen in the light of their consistent opposition to Airbus technology since the introduction of the first two-pilot glass cockpit on the A310 in 1983, and the Habsheim affair in 1988. As usual, some of their demands are rhetorical; others may be arguable.
Chris Scott, what authority are you claiming to be as to usurp the right to pretend this? Do you want to join the dw-camp that admittedly have vaste knowledge of Airbus systems, but feel entitled to be in a rightful position to belittle pilots who disagree and criticise this system.
The opinion of a professional pilots union, even french, are to be taken extemely seriously in terms of safety, any other approach is biased and puts the author into a somewhat shaded light.
It is time to accept that too many parties ask for a closer look into the Airbus design. The bipartisan comitee from the 90's (i can't remember the title), an article of your homonym the much regarded Robert Scott, a comparative article in the Swiss aviation publication Cockpit and even Sullys contribution, that's too many professionals who ask for the very same corrections, notwithstanding the many contributors on pprune.
I am tired of all the smokes amd mirrors that are set up to take the attention away from these critics. I am just as tired of being cried down by people who have not operated the system themselves, or those who have operated only this very system. Some of us have been priviledged to fly the other major competitors as well and no longer silently accept to be disregarded.
Where there's smoke, there's a fire and in aviation we tend to take fire seriously, even if it's only a warning, don't we? I hope we at least agree on that.