Interesting reports today in Malaysian press which quote Air AsiaX CEO as declining to comment on the fact that Air Asia X will NOT start any services to the UK, either London or Manchester, this year. Still only operating with one A330 and its seems that the immediate concern is to increase flights to destinations where Malaysian tourists wish to go -- plans for flights to Japan have almost been shelved as the visa requirements for Malaysians to fly there are onerous. Talk of looking at other Asian destinations more welcoming to Malaysian tourists.
Perhaps Air Asia are waiting to see whether the UK government ever put a visa requirement on Malaysians tourists coming to the UK. That's what killed off the Air Jamaica flights into Manchester, remember; without the tourist trade the airline's business floundered.