Traveled POS-MIA earlier this week and the gate agents were counting duty-free purchases as part of the carry-on allowance. They were checking bags at the gate if you had a carryon.

I boarded in group 3 and the agent who scanned my boarding pass didn’t notice but there was another agent on the plane. The agent told me I needed to fit my duty free under the seat with my backpack. It couldn’t and I said I’ll put it up in the overhead and I’ll wait for a flight attendant. The agent didn’t reply but seemed to have an annoyed look on their face. Not really a fan of the agents at POS anyway.

Ive travelled many times with duty free on AA and other carriers but this is the first time I’ve had someone tell me it counts as carryon. Has there been a change in the rules or they just being finally being enforced?