Russia - Half price fares on Russian Railways/РЖД

For travel from 15 October 2010, upper bunks in купе/second class wagons on domestic trains will be half the price of lower bunks. Press release (http://press.rzd.ru/isvp/public/press?STRUCTURE_ID=654&layer_id=4069&refererLayerId=3307&date_begin=&date_end=&id=75550) (in Russian).

I've read suggestions this heralds a price war between air and rail travel in Russia.

The problem is that an upper-bunk kupe now costs effectively the same as a platskartny. That should have the effect of making it harder to get these tickets on short notice. And as my Russian officemate commented, what are you going to do when you pay the full tariff for the lower bunk, and the babushka with the upper bunk asks if you don't mind switching? (I never minded switching before, but somehow knowing I've paid twice as much will make it less appealing....)