A handy shelf, motorised seat & armrest, right before the control input.
Sloping? Painted red with 'Put no objects here?
VERY basic stuff in design, many hours flown without incident until it goes wrong.
Just saying how the very simple things matter. I imagine the general public scratching their heads at such a simple mistake.
This guy is a pilot . . . pilots DEAL in 3 dimensions, everyday. Spatial awareness . . . !!!
The uninformed me (I only jump seated on civil A330 once) says it's plain and simply gross negligence. I admit I don't have all the facts, but there are some seriously shonky dealings going on here.