I’m not a frequent traveller through DFW but I connected from an international to a domestic flight there today. I have Global Entry so I went to the far (left-hand) end of Terminal D’s CBP area and filled in the form at the kiosk, handed it to the CBP officer who waved me on and I followed two travellers (not travelling with me) with carryons out; we turned left after the CBP officer, into a small corridor and elevator down where I asked if this was the way to Baggage Claim and they assured me it was but I’d have to go down one more floor from the Departures floor that we got off the elevator at down to Arrivals. I did that...and found myself outside the Internationsl Arrivals baggage claim and, of course, unable to get into it. They’d clearly meant Domestic Baggage Claim!

Eventually, with the help of an AA agent, I found my way back to just outside the International Baggage area and one of the agents there called inside and asked the person they spoke to to clear the bag through customs and send it to my domestic flight. Very helpful and she seemed to know what she was doing but whether it makes it or not we will see. I can manage without it if necessary and the staff at the AA Club say they’ll forward it on to me if it doesn’t get on the same plane as I do.

My question really is whether this has ever happened to anyone else? The two American passengers I went in the elevator with seemed to know exactly what they were doing and I vaguely remember seeing a small sign saying hand-Baggage route pointing that way (I had no idea what that was at the time but I think I do now!). But for an arriving passenger on a plane for 14 hours who hasn’t been to DFW for a while, I wonder if I’m the only person ever to make this mistake! The bag will find me I’m sure, either in the US or back home but clearly I’ll have to pay more attention to my surroundings at unfamiliar airports when what are meant to be helpful improvements are made!