Safety IS first. If it's not safe it won't fly no matter how cheap it is. This is clearly a case where engineers were proposing an inferior solution that allowed a lower price point. They mislead the whole company and let their colleagues down.
“Safe” is a relative term.
For example, it would have been safer for the plane to have 2 more engines. But there are only 2 engines since it’s safe enough and much more economically viable.
It doesn’t matter how safe something is if no one is going to buy it.
“Not a death trap” is a relative term. Safety is a feature and like any other feature it gets prioritized according to need, budget, ROI, and many other factors.
