Originally Posted by aristoph
Oops - misread the OP. In that case the BA crew's attitude was even more petty. If BAA were happy to let the handbag through security then the crew had no reason to kick up a fuss at the gate. A real jobsworth by the sounds of it.
BAA should not be letting anyone through with a handbag plus another carry-on and for this they have already been in trouble with the DfT. All notices in the terminals state that you are allowed one bag through security and then allowed that bag plus one duty-free bag onto the plane. It does not state anywhere that you are allowed your handbag seperately and the agent was perfectly right to request that passengers comply with the government requirement of one item.