" ...talking differences in scale - and in design and construction, and in DA attention to the problem and instructions on how to deal with it, ..."
This is not the first airbus to have plastic components. Agreed, they have not been as large as a A400M wing. But there will be repair procedures in place for the other components. And as you say it is just a matter of scale. Despite recent problems within the company they are a professional outfit.
'We knew how to whinge but we kept it in the NAAFI bar.'