Le Big Slippage

It is being widely reported this morning that delivery of the first Emirates A380 will be pushed back two or three months because of unspecified problems with the Engine Alliance a/k/a GE-P&W-Snecma GP7200 engine installation.
Airbus disputes the report but it originated with Le Figaro, something of an icon in the French press.
Whether it proves to be true is as yet unknown, but it's certainly negative publicity that Airbus does not need and cannot afford a whole lot more of. If the connection exists between the engine and the delay, look for more hysterical finger pointing to come out of this story as the folks in Toulouse frantically look around for a scapegoat to toss to the wolves at Emirates, already unhappy with the performance of the A340. Emirates, as you recall, has already kicked their A340 orders forward into the wild blue future until certain unspecified preformance improvements are instituted.