Who Knew What, And When?

Discontent is mounting over this week's announcement by Airbus that customer deliveries of its A380 superjumbo will be delayed due to wiring problems. Airlines, understandably, want answers... but so do several higher-ups at European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co, parent company of the aerospace consortium.

Arnaud Lagardere, co-chair of EADS, said he had no knowledge of the production problems with the A380 until Airbus made an announcement Tuesday... and he wants to know why.

To that end, Lagardere told the French newspaper Le Monde he is launching a probe to determine what caused the delays... and, just how much Airbus co-chief executive Gustav Humbert and EADS chief Noel Forgeard knew about the problems, and when.

In the end, the debacle may even cost the two men their jobs... although Forgeard, who launched the A380 project as head of Airbus in 2000, downplayed those rumors Thursday.

"We have now to find the right ways forward rather than finger pointing the responsibilities of the past," Forgeard said regarding the inquiry. "We are working on managerial measures inside Airbus."

Not helping matters is the revelation that Forgeard and his family -- as well as other top managers at EADS -- sold off shares of Airbus stock just before Airbus announced the delays. Then again, Lagardere's company, Lagardere SA, also sold half of its 15 percent stake in EADS earlier this year... but he insisted that he had no idea of the A380's troubles until this week.

"We had no information," Lagardere told Le Monde. "If we had been dishonest, we would not have sold 7.5 percent but all of our shares."

In the meantime, complaints from A380 customers about the delay have been nearly unanimous... with airlines worldwide demanding compensation, or publicly stating they are now reconsidering their orders.

Singapore Airlines further added insult to injury -- at least on the public stage -- by announcing Wednesday the airline placed orders for 20 Boeing 787-9 aircraft worth $4.52 billion. Airbus had hoped the airline would select its A350... a program currently in limbo, as the manufacturer revamps its design for the medium-range airliner.

"All of this seriously hurts the image of this European jewel" and "sharpens the teeth of Boeing," the French daily 'Liberation' wrote Thursday. "And it gives a bit of grist for the mill ... for the bards of Euroskepticism."

FMI: www.airbus.com