If I remember correctly, Jetstar did the same many years ago when they were about to start International flights to Bangkok. They started online sales of tickets months in advance of launching. I was sitting on the edge of my seat hoping that they would get the regulatory approval before my departure date which was around Christmas time, and sure enough they did.
I'm not surprised Indonesia Air Asia is having a longer than expected delay in getting their approvals, especially if the delay is due to the Indonesian regulator. Having spent a considerable number of years dealing with Indonesian bureaucracy myself, there will always be hurdles to overcome for no apparent reason. wink wink ...
