By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA and JUDITH NAMUTOWE –

EMIRATES airlines has said the new fare deal clinched with Proflight Zambia will enable travellers from the Copperbelt to fly on the same price as offered to the people in Lusaka.

In January, the airline signed an interline agreement with Proflight Zambia which opened up the Emirates network to passengers from across Zambia, as well as making it easier for international travellers to reach domestic destinations throughout the country.

Under the agreement, customers will be able to purchase joint Emirates-Proflight Zambia itineraries and will be issued with a single combined ticket.

This will enable seamless connections to and from Proflight’s nine domestic destinations, namely, Ndola, Livingstone, Mfuwe, Solwezi, Chipata, Mansa, Lower Zambezi and Kasama, as well as the airline’s international route to Lilongwe in Malawi, with Emirates’ daily Lusaka service.

Emirates country manager for Zambia Husain Alsafi said the special rates bring fares into line with those passengers from the capital enabling customers to catch one of Proflight’s daily flights and link into Emirates daily direct service from Lusaka to Dubai and Harare.

He said this means that customers can enjoy even better value for money when they purchase their Emirates and Proflight Zambia flights together.

The return fare parity is available for bookings made before May 31 on routes from Ndola to Beijing, Mumbai, Guangzhou, Dubai, London, Perth, Delhi, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Shanghai, but excludes travel to Guangzhou and Hong Kong during the Canton Fair that ends on May 5 2014.