Following the much publicised two-year production delay, Airbus launched a charm offensive earlier his week in an effort to impress 200 influential journalists on a test flight of its new A380 aircraft.

Judging by the column inches and largely glowing reports the exercise was largely a success, as reporters temporarily excused the planemaker the E.4.8bn ($6.2bn) in lost profits it now faces because of delayed deliveries between now and 2010.
The good news announced by Airbus' COO John Leahy was that none of the remaining Airbus customers have cancelled their orders Leahy says that Airbus is on track to deliver the first aircraft (the only one that currently works-Ed) to its launch customer Singapore Airlines this October.
Leahy said that besides the many passenger configurations that will be available to its airline customers, there were many different options that could be included, although he dismissed casinos and beauty salons as has been suggested in the past.
More realistic are the inclusion of lounges, duty free shops, bars, rest areas and showers, he said.