Why scrapping Nepal’s ‘dollar fare’ could leave locals grounded

A plan to make Nepal’s domestic flights cheaper for foreign visitors could end up making them more expensive for citizens, according to airline operators who warn against scrapping one of the country’s most contentious tourism pricing policies.Under Nepal’s two-tier airfare system, foreign passengers must pay in US dollars for domestic flights, with prices usually two to three times higher than for Nepalis and sometimes more, depending on the route and season.In April, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Paudel pledged to end the sky-high airfares to boost tourism and provide respite to non-resident Nepalis holding foreign citizenship who are also required to pay higher fares.