Thomas Borchert wrote:

Sfb,

The US government buys products from Boeing. The EU countries continue
to give launch subsidies Airbus. There is a difference despite the
unproven EU contention that the military sales to the US are somehow
subsiding Boeing's commercial aircraft development.


Yeah, right. Sure. Whatever you say...

Well as the Wall Street Journal pointed out, 8/10 Airbus Parent EADS gets
more defense business (from government) than Boeing does. BAE does a lot of
government defense business, even a healthy amount from USA. So even if
you think that selling a product to the government (airplanes, rockets,
pencil sharpeners) is a "subsidy" to the company, even that argument is more
than cancelled out. Note that Airbus doesn't even bother to deny they are
so heavily subsidized anymore, they're only defense is "well, but but but
Boeing does it too!" Right.

Meanwhile Airbus enjoys massive government subsidies such as risk free
launch loans for products, direct financial subsidies, reduced interest
loans, and massive infrastructure construction. $4 Billion launch aid for
A380 alone. Airbus will likely sucessfully shake down governments for at
least $1 billion of launch aid for the A350 if it hasn't already. The A380
required enormous infrastructure building, such as bridges, canals, roads
etc. just so that parts could be moved around Europe from one factory to
another until they reach the final assembly in Toulouse, France.

Oh and a healthy share of Airbus/EADS's ownership is by government as well.