Rainboe - In a rather untypical way you have totally missed the major point that I was making, (and which won't ever be flung back in my face
).
I agree, there
IS a market for the A380, it is a niche market for a relatively small number of aircraft that will never, ever allow Airbus to break even. The opposition will actually be flying the B747, B747-800, B787 and possibly the A350 as well as some very young and able B777 of all variants.
So, it isn't hopeful nonsense at all to say that the A380 is a dead duck and may well take Airbus down with it. The European trade unions haven't finished yet so Airbus have some very difficult times ahead with the possibility of even further delays. At the moment the order book is shrinking which isn't a good sign.
Possibly a technical success but definitely a commercial failure.