Originally Posted by cova
. . . merged into a different surviving carrier's lounge program. At that time, lifetimes could be permanently eliminated and yearly fees could go up . . .
This is exactly what has happened in the past. Lifetime members of Eastern and TWA's clubs found out that lifetime membership only lasted a brief period with Continental and American respectively. So don't buy a lifetime membership and think that you will be taken care of if your airline is acquired.