If BA decide not to buy any of the A380 models, then they are surely going to loose some of their trans-atlantic market to the other EU carriers such as LH and AF.
Why? Are the fussy passengers going to refuse to fly on anything other than a A380? Or will BA just not have enough Transatlantic capacity without the Whalejet (in which case it will be the lower yielding economy pax who BA 'loose').
BTW, where do Smartwings come into the equation???
Would one asume that it could be politically damaging, and incorrect not to have your flagship carrier (one could argue London Central) not order the A380?
Not nearly as politically damaging and incorrect as it would be for the Prime Minister to start interfering in a purely commercial decision by a private company. Gordon Brown, incidentally, is actually very pro-US and doesn't share his predecessors enthusiasm for all things European. I believe he takes his holidays in the USA every summer.