Well, 787 sales don't need a bosst ;) but the 747-8 does. But the A380 wouldn't exist if Airbus had the funding of Boeing, there is no way an aircraft that massive could bee even built as a prototype without the backing of a few airlines.  They have been getting away with freebies for too long, and that has what's made them competitive. If they hadn't received these billions they'd still be making only the A320 series and maybe the A330/A340, not a massive A380 and soon A350.