Originally Posted by
micstatic
I know I'm in the minority here. But I don't even see the viability of lounges anymore. They are expensive. Many charge extra for drinks. Many don't have real food. Most are over-crowded. Most airports have high quality restaurants and watering holes these days. What's still drawing all of you?
Most (good) airport restaurants are crazy overcrowded too, worse than lounges, frequently with a wait just to get in. Plus, you get 'seated' usually, at a place of someone else's choosing, not your own, and then you frequently wind up wedged into an awkward spot avoiding eye contact from the person who was just seated uncomfortably close to you. Then you have no power, no ability to take a phone call if needed, etc.
At least in a lounge you have control over where you are seated and 90%+ of the time I can still wedge myself into a spot with at least some personal space that is conducive to getting some work done. Bad as they are, a lounge still beats an airport restaurant the vast majority of the time for me.