This encounter as described by Lavelle was disputed by the engineers of the trips in question, but lets say for the second that it is absolutely true, and no other motivations were at work here...
So what did we learn?
The Boeings weren't damaged in the slightest, and the Airbus crashed...
THAT my friend, pretty much says it all.
Cheers,
Wino
( American Airlines A300 LGA F/O, and friend of Ed States and Sten Molin, with far more time in the cockpit with these gentlemen than John Francis Lavelle)