Originally Posted by canadiancow

Let's be clear that this would match the (new...ish) *A rules, so it's very plausible AC is adapting to it.

If a UA*G guests a pax on a different flight, and AC lets them in, they're not getting reimbursement (barring some explicit arrangement with UA, but given UA's policy matches *A's, I doubt it).

And I've heard about it in multiple airports recently, so I'd be inclined to believe it's an actual change in policy.

Personally, I've guested friends/family on different flights many times, and I thought that was a great perk. If I know them, and I'm going to the airport with them, I'd like to keep hanging out with them. But now the answer to "I'm going to book economy to some other destination around the same time as your flight, which airline should I fly?" is not "Star Alliance so I can bring you into the lounge". It's "whatever works best for you".