That is not the case. Large, durable goods such as airliners are a substantial portion of any industrialized nation's economy. In the case of the United States, sales by Boeing and Lockheed are a non-insignificant portion of GDP. In the case of Europe, Airbus is the direct recipient of substantial state subsidy. There has never been a case of a single airliner not experiencing technical difficulties. The 787 is no different, neither is the A380. The Seattle press always makes much of Airbus' mis-steps - Boeing, at least until eclipsed by Microsoft in 2004, was the largest employer in the region. The Guardian piece is a flagrant attempt to destroy confidence in a rival nation's durable goods. Is the 787 completely safe? Nothing is completely safe. Trying to pretend that there's something revolutionary and scary about the 787 in order to damage a competitor is "fair play" but for fuck's sake, put your back into it.It’s just a piece of journalism that raises questions about the cause of the current issues.