Mom's Guilt: Leaving Baby in Economy While She Flies Business

A UK mom in California just sparked a full-on internet debate after admitting she flew business class while her 10-month-old daughter and boyfriend rode in economy on the same 11-hour trip from Paris to Los Angeles.

Ellis Cochlin, who posts as @ellcochlin on TikTok, made it sound almost unfair: lie-flat luxury, warm washcloths, wine, and gourmet meals, all while her baby, Prim, and Rob sat in economy. The messy part is that she wasn’t just bragging, she straight up wondered if she was a “horrible person” for doing it, then explained the upgrade math got expensive fast once a separate seat for Prim was required.

And once the guilt started rolling, so did the reactions from her own family.

Ellis Cochlin, a UK native residing in California, ignited a debate on parenting choices after sharing her experience of leaving her boyfriend and 10-month-old daughter in economy while she flew business class on an 11-hour flight from Paris to Los Angeles.

The content creator, known as @ellcochlin on TikTok with nearly 25,000 followers, recounted her child-free journey with luxury amenities like warm washcloths, wine, and gourmet food in a lie-flat bed.

Cochlin confessed to feeling guilty about indulging in business class comfort while her family remained in economy. The revelation sparked discussions about parental guilt and the balancing act between personal luxury and family responsibilities.

Before the plane even touched down, Ellis was already questioning herself, asking whether business class made her a villain while Prim and Rob were stuck in economy.

"At the start of the video, Ellis questioned, 'Am I a horrible person for flying business class while my baby and boyfriend flew economy?' She explained their differing spending habits, with her indulging in jewelry and business class flights while her partner, Rob, prefers splurging on restaurants.

She reflected on past experiences flying alone with their baby, Prim, expressing gratitude for Rob's assistance before they parted ways to their respective seats."

Then she described her baby-free stretch of luxury, warm washcloths and wine included, which made the contrast with Rob’s and Prim’s economy experience impossible to ignore.

This is similar to the group trip dispute, where someone asked a friend to cover extra costs after a last-minute luxury upgrade, AITA for wanting fair responsibility?

"The flight from Paris to LA lasted just over 11 hours, and the idea of having a baby-free journey was like music to my ears," she expressed.

"Loving Prim with all my heart, flying long-haul solo with a baby is no easy feat," Ellis admitted. She shared that Rob expressed interest in flying with Prim, as he had never done it before, to which she agreed wholeheartedly.

"I told him, 'You know what? That's completely fine with me. I'll see you in 11 hours, babe,'" she recounted. Ellis mentioned attempting to upgrade Rob to a business class seat but abandoned the idea upon realizing she'd also have to purchase a separate seat for their 10-month-old daughter, which would cost thousands."

The upgrade attempt is where it really gets sticky, because Ellis realized getting Rob into business would still leave Prim needing her own seat, and that price tag was thousands.

"My whole family teased me, calling me a horrible person, obviously in jest, for enjoying business class while Prim and Rob were in economy," she revealed. "But I retorted, 'As if you wouldn't do the same.'"

"Rob jokingly said that my business class seat would be the final part of my push present, so naturally, I accepted it. I couldn't just pass it up," Ellis explained. She mentioned that while she could have done without the fancy food, including risotto and fish dishes followed by macarons, she did manage to enjoy an "amazing nap."

Closing the video, Ellis shared footage of her baby girl in her stroller as they waited for their luggage. "Rob claimed the flight was a breeze, but I know he was fibbing," she joked.

Since being posted last week, Ellis's video has garnered over 425,000 views and has sparked hundreds of comments.

By the time Ellis said her family teased her for enjoying business while Prim and Rob were in economy, the joke had turned into a debate that kept growing online.

Opinions were split on Ellis's decision, with some expressing their reluctance to leave their children on a flight.

"I think you both should have been there for each other and shared the responsibility," one person wrote. Another agreed, saying, "Nothing to do with duties but just travel with the family together."

"I couldn’t do this to my partner. I wouldn’t enjoy the flight at all," someone else added. "Pleased for you though. I really wish I could do it and not feel guilty."

However, others defended Ellis, emphasizing that she deserved a break and shouldn't feel guilty for taking one, especially considering her previous solo trips with her daughter.

"You’ve spent SO MUCH time baby-handling solo; I feel you definitely earned this!" one viewer commented. Another chimed in, "Don’t feel guilty!!!!!! Us mamas just want to breathe alone sometimes."

"God, that’s a dream. I’d do the same," someone else insisted.

Now everyone’s stuck asking whether comfort on one flight is worth the guilt that follows you home.

For a similar budget blowup, see the AITA fight over a friend’s ruined luxury upgrade costs.