The Rolls Royce A380 Problem- 2 Airlines. 2 Reactions

The respective reactions of the two leading Rolls Royce powered A380 operators to the Singapore event were interesting and reflected significant differences in opinion between Qantas and Singapore Airlines graphically illuminated cultural differences between two near neighbours in the Southern Hemisphere as well as causing furrowed brows in operators further north.
Qantas' CEO personally took a high profile all guns blazing line with the first objective being to secure Qantas' own reputation ahead of any concern about the reputation of the aircraft or its engines or the approaches of other owners.To most people an A380 is an A380 and they have no idea what is slung under the wing of the aircraft in which they are flying. Qantas risked blackening the reputation of all A380s to the detriment of all their operators. It is unlikely that Airbus or Emirates, the operator of a 14 strong fleet of the GE powered version, were happy with this and Lufthansa and Air France with their smaller initial fleets were probably not too delighted either.
Singapore Airlines, the longest standing A380 airline was, in very Singaporean style, highly restrained, kept a low profile on the issue, took no PR risks with the aircraft or engines and had most of its fleet swiftly returned to service after checks had been carried out and Airbus issued temporary operating instructions. What was said behind the curtains to Airbus and Rolls Royce and what arrangements and agreements may have been reached is not known, but there minimal risk was taken with shaking public confidence in the hardware.
Which approach secured the better response and any compensation undertakings from Airbus and Rolls is unknown. Airbus has taken the line that keeping the existing in-service aircraft flying is more important than meeting the next six months delivery schedules and Rolls powered aircraft still awaiting delivery have been held back to achieve this. That though would probably have happened anyway, shouting or no shouting. There were also implications from Australia, though not the airline itself ,that maybe anyone other that a (very heavy) Qantas crew would have been hard pressed to deliver a better result in landing the aircraft safely. They certainly did an excellent job but others would question the notion that the Qantas way is the only way just as they would question whether their very self-focused PR response to the whole affair was the right way for the industry.