Jaba, I'd say that your sources are better placed than mine. I just pass on what is coming out of an aviation media web site - as with any media outlet, they just regurgitate management spin.
TBM, I totally agree. The "A" model aircraft always have faults which are designed out of later aircraft along with resolving weight issues. I'm told that QF ordered the A380 before SQ and consequently could have had the first aircraft into service. As QF normally hold onto an aircraft for in excess of 20 years, they didn't want to take delivery of an overweight aircraft and pay an excessive fuel penalty for that many years, so they arranged the delivery slots with the first aircraft being MSN14. SQ can write their aircraft off in as few as 3 years so that if their early aircraft deliveries are overweight, they can dispose of them relatively quickly. QF's fourth A380 (MSN26, due to be delivered May09) is the first of the "Wave 2" aircraft which are much more standarised in the production processes. The early "Wave 1" aircraft are quite individual wrt wiring/plumbing which does cause some issues for the engineers who have to maintain them.
Apologies for thread drift.