I was going to post something about how the lounges can be a real lifesaver if you are hit by bad weather/delays etc.

I think one of the differences between North America and the rest of the world is that in many places the lounges are garbage, and by letting in every Business class passenger they have destroyed themselves.

I personally avoid lounges such as Swissair in Zurich and Lufthansa lounges in Munich as they are always filled to the gills with pretty much every mid-manager who is flying business that day. These guys often arrive at the airport early just so they can go to the lounge, hence the lounges are totally full, services are practically non-existant and beverages are poor (I know I'm going to whacked for this). For example, most US lounges have had free internet access and multiple terminals for years. In Europe, internet is only now being introduced in many lounges and in some cases you have to pay for it.