Poohbah, My Airbus experience is limited to the A320 family, but from what I've seen the quality of their workmanship today is on a par with Boeing. Perhaps we're comparing impressions of the older A300s and new A320s and coming to different conclusions.
The A319s I work on are built in Hamburg, and I've witnessed firsthand the pride that the craftsmen assembling them take in their work. My prior experience was all on Lockheed, Douglas, and Boeing, but I'm now comfortable with (and confident in) the Airbus.
It's a good plane, and I don't hesitate to fly in one.