Felix - AIRBUS is notorious about missing weight & performance guarantees - the A340 initially missed its performance guaranees by such a wide marin that Airbus initiated its "Performance Improvemen Program" -aka PIP which comprised a "breast-plate" scab on the bottom of the wings etc. to improve aero. The A340 has a poor airconditioning system - Ive been on several SAS A340s where the cabins were instrumented with data recorders to record the strata in the cabin. that being said, AIRBUS is a great company & if it wasnt for them, weed be riding on 747-400s with condensation water sloshing about in the stowbins in front of door I .