I think that's right. My cousin is a mechanic in Toronto. He got another cousin and I tickets to England in 99. I asked him again after that and he said they didn't allow it anymore, that the employee had to be with them.
I know there are buddy passes that you used to be able to travel without the employee on and that changed as people abused that perk (ie: selling them) but a spouse even cannot travel star alliance? I am travelling with the wife of an AC employee to Athens..and seems we can get to Europe with no probs but to connect onwards to Athens (and Barcelona upon the return) is the part that nobody can say for sure because of course they would be flights on the SA partners. Getting tricky!