What else would make people pay a fee? I do not think alturism would pay for an infrastructure of 300 mio USD and increasing.
What else, is that the miners don't mine if it's not profitable.
Miners not mining does not force people to pay fee. Difficulty would decrease and transactions would confirm again with less miner.
Most would not even notice.
Some would see that security decreases, but will that make them pay more ? Not neccesarily, since their security preference is different.
Some might think it is still sufficient and continue to free ride, and if no longer, then leave for a better chain.
Again, this is a typical "the tragedy of the commons" scenario.