The apparent delay in the launch of the Airbus A350 has raised the intrigue over the escalating subsidy row between Boeing and Airbus. A curt EADS statement released last Wednesday said it would not reach a decision on the A350 until September, scuttling speculation that Airbus would announce a launch here today with officials from Dubai’s Emirates. Airbus had said it hoped to announce orders for more than 100 A350s this week, and Emirates was widely expected to account for half of those. Lawyers specializing in trade issues are now saying that the revised September target for the A350 launch could have legal significance. From October 6, the U.S. government can unilaterally withdraw from the disputed 1992 agreement on aerospace subsidies. So by launching the new program before this date, Airbus can argue that the associated government loans for it are within the letter of the agreement even though Boeing now rejects the terms of this deal.
