I read this week that Airbust's problems are even worse than they are disclosing.
1) The new CEO is stepping down because the leadership at EADS refused to accept his proposals on how to fix Airbusts current crisis. These included many of the same types of actions Boeing did back in 1997 to streamline their assembly lines when they were experiencing delays on their assembly lines and getting parts delivered ontime. Cutting redundant headcount, outsourcing some parts manufacturing, and consolidating where planes are put together. He suggested that all A320 assembly take place at the Hamburg, Germany location, and everything else in Toulouse, France. But the german reps went nuts since this would mean many job cuts on the german side, and much less on the french side.
2)The fact that Airbust is spread out among a bunch of european countries (UK, France, Germany, Spain, etc....) and that these governments have say in what happens at the company. Complicates everything 10 fold anytime the company wants to do anything related to job cuts or moving assembly.
3) Airbust has no budget for the A350, their current design had to be scrapped due to lack of interest by airlines, and all the resources that would be currently going to A350 are still working on fixing the A380.
But there is no other option but to build it, or face completely ceding the wide body commercial airplance market to Boeing for decades. Worse timing possible since they have had their butts dragged into the WTO by Boeing for the billions in subsides they were given for the A380.
Analysts have said the EU will refuse to let Airbust fail on this project and will find some backhanded way to get the billions in subsides they will need to develop it. Airbusts main reason for existence is its one of europes biggest subsidized welfare program. The euro taxpayers are going to be put into the bent over position, but Airbust wont give up the A350.