The game used to be as follows:
- flexible tickets = business class
- tourist/advance purchase/saturday night tickets = eco class

Tourists make sure there are many flights a day, especially at hours when not so many business people would travel. This gives to business travellers a lot of choice and flexibility to change departure etc. And these business passengers subsidy eco tickets. Win win situation.

Now, companies want to pay only economy. Which means that you can fly eco at business prices, everybody loses but penny counters believe they win.

Operating flights is very expensive and you need expensive tickets to amortize your operations. Airlines want to give the impression that flying is very cheap and service is excellent... but even in the back, it is not that cheap, and even in front, food is not like a 200 EUR meal in a top restaurant, even if the ticket costs 5000 EUR.