It is true...
A co-pay of $250 will be required to claim mileage Upgrade Awards used with most Discount and Deep Discount Economy fares when traveling between North America and Europe, Japan and Deep South America, effective December 1.
I'm not clear at this moment if the above is round-trip or each-way ( I was afraid to ask.) Additionally, I don't know applicability to VIP upgrades.
Also effective December 1 will be the discontinuance of the upgrade awards between Latin America and Europe.