If you have been considering purchasing BA Shares this year, you need to do so by 7 November to be counted in the Shareholder record for 2010.

Here is the lowdown on the shareholder discount in case you are not familiar with it:

British Airways offers a 10% discount to its shareholders.

Today, you can purchase the required minimum 200 shares for around £425, so it's a great bargain if you plan on buying several thousand pounds of flights in the next few years.

You get the Shareholder magazine and also are invited to the Shareholder Meetings each year in London, which can be interesting if you like tea and biscuits.

The discount is especially valuable on the "Premium Leisure" Club World fares; and there are some bargains to be had in the sales.

Note you cannot currently use an MFU (Miles for Upgrade) at the same time as a shareholder discount, and shareholder discount fares do not qualify for onbusiness points.

The discount is only granted to shareholders on the register at the record date (which in 2009 is 7 November) and you are usually mailed your code in December, which can be used for bookings made online from 1 January.

BA might wave this 1 January restriction on the start date for the discount at its discretion, but it is the exception NOT the rule.

All flights must be exUK, on BA metal (NO codeshares), and the discount only applies to the fares element of your flights not the increasingly onerous taxes and fees part.

Simply book online via the special link provided; the discount cannot be applied retrospectively.

But you do get the same BA Miles and tier points credit as would be the case had you booked without the discount. You can book up to 9 people in the same reservation (up from 5 in 2008).

The discount is normally increased to 15% off between 1-31 December, which co-incides with the traditional post Christmas fare sale which usually starts on Boxing Day.

While shareholders used not to pay the credit card surcharge, this now applies to all bookings. So no escape.

For those of you who are already existing shareholders, please note that YOU MUST register for electronic communications from ComputerShare in order to be eligible for the continuation of you discount.

More info and booking link at www.bashareholders.com