BBC item
British Airways union Unite is to meet its US counterpart Teamsters on Wednesday to discuss the strike by the airline's cabin crew.
Teamsters, the main transport union in the US, confirmed that the meeting had been arranged.
It said it would "stand in solidarity" with Unite, but it is unclear what part, if any, the US union would play in the strikes.
The first strike by BA cabin crew is due to begin on Saturday.
Unite played down the meeting, saying that Unite would be meeting Teamsters officials to explain the background of the dispute.
"Unite has received a large number of inquiries from unions around the world offering their support to cabin crew," it said in a statement.
Blocking landings
But the shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said Unite was "seeking to make things worse and internationalise the dispute".
"I gather the aim in talking to these other trade unions is to seek to block BA flights from landing during the period of the dispute," she said.
Teamsters has 1.4 million members in the US, including 40,000 workers in the aviation industry.
BA said it was "sad" to see Unite "seeking backing from trade unions overseas to support its unjustified strike against an iconic British brand".