[PKop]

This is why the Lightning network is something more than just payment channels. If you have 2 or more channels open on the network, you are a node that can have payments routed through.

Same with trying to pay someone on the network whom you do not have an open channel with: the LN's purpose is to facilitate a network of channels.

Certainly hubs will form, but there should be many of them, and if there's a path to your recipient, you don't need a dedicated channel with them.