''It always amazes me that what is quite obviously a right off and uneconomic to repair, does gets repaired to keep the statistics sweet.''
Care to show us where it says airbus repair to 'keep the statistics sweet'?
How do you know its BER? Are you a structures engineer?
The reason I query you're assessment is that I've spent some time in engineering and spares supply, and was suprised recently when my brother, a repair designer and structural engineer took me to see an aircraft.
One engine was shock loaded, outer wings bent rippling on all sorts of panels. The aircraft looked fit for breaking, from my experience I thought its a write off. Apparently not, there was sufficient residual value in the airframe, and hours on it to make a repair, whilst shockingly expensive, the better option. I suspect thats whats happening here.