Sure, applying is not enough for the carrier to start operating its flights. Receiving the approval from the respective civil aviation agency is a must.
Unless it is absolutely guaranteed, it is risky to start selling tickets for the flights which are still waiting for approval. Selling tickets before getting the required approval might result in operational headache. Handing disappointed customers and refunding tickets definitely represent an additional workload for customer service representatives.
Date: 27 November 2014 commenting on http://www.ch-aviation.com/