I guess some people (especially young people) would love to travel it also in Y, just better then not travel at all But Y fares may be also to high for them...we are just spoiled.:>
Some are travelling 12+hrs by trains without even seat place.

Did SYD-DXB in Y in 2008, was perfectly ok for me (but it was on return from my first ever trip outside Europe, now I'm a bit more spoiled by EK J....)
and then DXB-LGW in Y, where I was really sorry that it's end and we have to leave the airplane
my benchmark was WizzAir (LCC) and trains in Poland - comparing with it Emirates Y is top of luxury

edit: and the vegetable wrap handed to me in the middle of the night somewhere over Indian Ocean is still remembered as best food I ever had on airplane (although I later was travelling sometimes in J and twice in F) - probably the situation of first long travel made it