At least until we have received the final and more comprehensive BEA report in 2012, could we please not get sidetracked on Boeing v Airbus ideological debates?
The main aviation safety issue in recent years has been loss of control, with the main focus in relation to automation and the "human interface" (specifically concerns over training and the absence of line manual flying), and across all aircraft manufacturers. Even to a Boeing veteran like myself, there are only two "Airbus specific side issues" that this thread has thrown-up and neither should have resulted in themselves in the downing of AF447.
(1) The historic role of Airbus in creating the impression to line management that "planes fly themselves", even if partly inadvertently, and the knock-on effect upon the training culture.
(2) Several additional "complications" in an Airbus cockpit when things go awry, if cockpit discipline is not tight i.e. feedback issues (e.g. SS v control column, and the throttle and trimming) and the PNF is visually less aware of how the PF is by-hand flying. I suppose you could add under this heading the <60knt stall warning design "issue".
This is a training/human behaviour issue otherwise the temporary UAS on AF447 would have been temporary by-hand P+P flight and another logbook entry on the Thales pitot tubes being phased out......