Geez.
well honestly - I think it's about time someone went and did away with fare classes.
Only two things I'm worried about.
1. What about the upper bound... not that it's reached often, but sometimes, yes.
2. How will that translate to mileage earnings, especially with partners. I suppose we could get fare bucket "bands" instead of fares as we have now. Which might actually work well, if the airlines will pull the fare type surcharge into consideration. Paying up for flex or classic might be more worth it.
We would have a problem if airlines started offering personalized prices. But they could do that with existing fare class structure just as easily.
As to the articles doom and gloom that the prices will go up...
Prices will be what the market will bear - Lufthansa Group isn't known for shoddy revenue management. Whether the pricing steps will be now not be 20EUR but 10 or 5 is really no difference.