Good news/bad news depending on your departure city.
[East coast passengers mostly affected]

Effective August 1,2009 Continental will fly non-stop to Rio(GIG) from Houston(IAH) eliminating the stop at Sao Paulo(GRU) This will mean everything gets funneled thru IAH, specifically if you were flying from the East coast Newark departures. Newark N/S to GRU is unaffected, thus an individual could conceivably catch a flt over to GIG on another carrier.

Schedule as follows:

Dep IAH 9:15PM arr GIG 9:15AM FLT# 128
Dep GIG 9:45PM arr IAH 6:00AM FLT# 129

Those individuals only traveling to GRU will still has N/S service on FLT 93 Dep IAH 9:05PM arr GRU 8:55AM and returning IAH FLT 92 Dep 9:15PM arr IAH 5:20AM [no actual change for GRU]

Note; the aircraft has changed somewhat, as the 767-200 series will be used[fewer seats]. 25First, 149 coach [NO, they still haven't installed the lie flat seats!!]

I hope this information will be of value to those flying CO, or those planning a trip after July.

I just found this out today! Wish I had read your response 7 months ago! LOL! I wish they would bring the NJ direct to rio flight back, but I realise that will never happen. This really sucks!

CO is expected to apply for EWR-GIG mid 2010.

Equip update for IAH-GIG n/s service on CO. Back to the 767-400 [conf: 35/200]

I totally was also going to post that equip. update last night. Thanks for getting it.