Originally Posted by
Oxnardjan
"I was behind them with my carry-on and my backpack and some shopping bags" according to the OP.
It looks as if AC is very generous with their baggage allowance how many is "some"? I doubt if the first time contributing OP will be back.
I'm wondering if op was beyond on board baggage allowance and that is what in reality set the whole ball of wax rolling without actually being addressed. FA may have felt that if op wanted to bring that much on board it was his problem.