There arent any major Defects in Airbus technology that AI and the French Government were already aware of 20 Years ago. There is no coverup of major Design Flaws going on. If there had been major defects, the older Airbusses would have had their wings fall off by now, or something.
However, it is notable that the french Government has alway dealt harshly with people who throw a spanner in the works.
The fact that the row is essentially over smaller issues which every new design has, especially one as radical as the Airbus was in the early 80s, makes the whole problem of the governmant stamping down hard even worse.
Essentially people are being screwed over issues that could have been rectified with a small change in attitude towards design policy.
Unfortunately the design was and is treated as holy scripture.
My two Eurocents.
OORW