> That isn't the case, there has been a way to get them back without Starliner since they got there.

That is pushing it until Crew 9 arrives. It's a set of straps attached to cargo pallets in the luggage compartment of the Crew 8 capsule. It's like jamming a kid in your trunk when you're out of seats.

They've never had to use this reserve plan and it was only first dreamt of when Soyuz had issues recently.