Ignition:
I was wondering when this thread would get round to subsidies. Boeing received large amounts of US govt/taxpayers money to study/research a large military transport. It never got the contract but put the research to good use and built the 747. Airbus may receive grants, or more accurately 'repayable loans' but Boeing often export their aircraft through a third country, conveniently US laws permit them massive tax-benefits if they do this, and has been ruled illegal by the World Trade Org. I think a more fundamental truth is that all countries try to help their indigenous businesses, and complain that all other countries cheat.