parabellum,
I have not checked the published accounts for Airbus in detail for a few months, last time I looked Airbus had over 6 billion euros cash in the bank. If you call that a "very precarious financial position", I would love to see your bank account.
The biggest financial headache for Airbus at the moment is the low value of the USD, it is also a headache for Boeing as it sources a lot of parts and engines in non USD.
This order of 12xA380s from BA is worth over US$3 billion to Airbus AFTER discounts, if they exercise the options, that will be another 1-2 billion.
The A380 is not designed to reduce frequencies, it is designed to allow for growth on existing frequencies/routes, I have given you the growth figures in my previous post.
Your reading of the A380 market is wrong, not one low cost, charter, or 3rd world airline has ordered them (unlike the 787). Airlines that place high value on service and front end yields are ordering A380s, and more orders will come once the aircraft is in service for a year or so.
As for no appeal to the front end market, someone recently paid over 1 million dollars for a front end seat on the first SQ flight from SIN-SYD later this month. But you should know all this, the airline you are working for is replacing 744s with A380s, maybe you think SQ is just a low cost/charter airline ?
Joetom,
That article is over 2 years old, a lot has changed, but is is not newsworthy as things have improved. Flight generally only reports new issues. I know where I work we generally have higher dispatch rates with the A340NG and A330 than the 777, but that is just one operators experience.