Continental's New 737-900ER

[i_mizrahi]

CO started this year with the delivery of a new 737-900ER, the first of an order of 27.
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US....aspx?i=PRNEWS

I wonder if any of you have some inner information and can refer to these questions:

1) Are those 739s meant to replace existing planes or to add to CO's capacity?

2) Does CO plan to operate them in trans-Atlantic routes, for example to the U.K or Sweden?

[Mateo]

CO claims 3175nm of range, which theoretically can be used for routes in the UK/Ireland/Portugal (Norway/Sweden is too far), but I'd imagine these will largely replace 757s on longer routes ex-EWR like the mid-tier Florida markets, the Caribbean, and Central America. The 757 fleet is in pretty heavy demand for Europe, and I'm sure Continental would love to free some up.

[JFKSTHEWAY]

I believe that CO plans to repalce their 737-800 fleet with these? Not completley sure
One problem though is that they have not added bathrooms! I would never imagine flying Transatlantic with only 2 bathrooms, It would be unbearable after any meal times or when the seatbelt sign was off.

[nwafan20]

We see one of them at DTW.

[njgtr82]

They are gonna free up the 752's from domestic use and for some of the longer routes that the 738's are currently flying (Central America, etc...).

[JFKSTHEWAY]

Even so, with over 200 passengers on these routes, and only two bathrooms, how will that work out?