The airport lounge is much improved, if you can squeeze in

The airport lounge isn't what it used to be. Once seen as quiet retreats for businessmen on expense accounts looking to get some work done, lounges are now trying to serve a variety of purposes and, in the process, have become one more area of competition among the airlines and independent operators. Some lounges are offering spa treatments and expansive views of the tarmac, and most are upgrading their food options. With the robust economy, more passengers than ever are willing to pay to get into the lounges, said Gary Leff, creator of the travel advice website View From the Wing. And that has added to a problem: The clubs have become victims of their own success — at times too full to accommodate all who are allowed to enter. <br/>