Well, we've always known they COULD partner with someone for awesome lounges, but they don't. A cynic would say that it was inevitable as soon as the existing agreement with CIAS expired -- CIAS just happened to move a couple of months before the expiration.

Given the quality of the lounges in NW hubs, why would we expect a single flight outstation to be any nicer? Most outstation lounges, even for the top airlines, are mere shadows of their 'home' lounges.

Steve