The whole China scenario is just going to have to be 'one to watch' for the forseeable I think.
I suppose we should be grateful we have a link to China with Cathay, even if people dont fully see it as 'China'. There is scope for daily, and I would not be surprised in the slightest of we have 10 weekly by the end of 2016.
In terms of long haul, I agree fully with MANFOD that there is very likely to be one, maybe even up to 3 or 4 new long haul links announced before Beijing.
Look at it this way, Thomas Cook added Boston and Los Angeles to their booking engine for 2016, much in the same way Miami and New York were added months before any announcement. To me that signals intent, as I doubt TCX and their IT guys spend that time making the code for the booking engines 'just for fun'.
We then have WestJet, who, have stated in the past MAN is on their radar, are going to soon be announcing new TATL flights and MAN has said they are talking to them.
Thirdly, Iraqi Airways have said that Baghdad is a possibility from MAN. Its served from LGW, so, one to watch again.
Lastly, Thomson and VS/DL could be one to watch. Thomson as they have said MAN-HKT is possible, and in terms of VS/DL, I don't think we have seen the last of their expansion at MAN.
So yes, not getting PEK this year is disappointing, but, on the whole, there is still a few possibilities to keep us on the positive vibes.