I flew business class while my kid was in economy and I have no regrets

“Sorry son,” the mum captioned a post of her seated comfortably with a fresh beverage, along with three cry-laughing emojis.

A travel influencer was mum-shamed for claiming to upgrade her airplane seat to business class while leaving her son behind in economy.

 

“I don’t like the mum shaming or parent shaming,” Karen “Kay” Akpan told The Post on Tuesday.

“The fact that people don’t do things like you doesn’t mean that it’s wrong. Everyone parents differently, and we can be respectful of each other.”

Akpan, her husband, Sylvester, and their son, Aiden, are a family of “digital nomads” who travel full time, either internationally or in an RV.

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A stillshot fom the original post. Source: themomtrotter/Instagram

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"Enjoying business class with my husband"

When the couple recently had the opportunity to upgrade their airplane seats, they took it.

“POV: Enjoying business class with my husband on a 13-hour flight while our 10-year-old sits in the back in economy class because he doesn’t have United Premier 1K status like we do and didn’t get a complementary upgrade,” Akpan captioned a video of herself and Sylvester clinking beverages onboard last week.

“Sorry son,” she added along with three cry-laughing emojis.

Akpan proceeded to ask her 305,000 Instagram followers if they would’ve taken the two upgraded seats while traveling as a family of three. She urged respondents to explain whether the age of their child or the length of the flight would impact their decision.

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Major debate about parenting on planes

The Twitter account @heyyitsjanea shared Akpan’s post on the platform, where it took off with 1.5 million views.

Several users thought the clip had to be a joke — which Akpan confirmed the next day in a separate post, revealing her son was actually sitting in a separate row in business class.

Nevertheless, the post sparked major debate about parenting on planes.

“I would give the child and my husband the upgrade and I would take the economy seat. Thirteen hours of alone time IS an upgrade,” one fan declared.

“I honestly LOVE that you left him lol,” another exclaimed.

“Y’all I’m sure that kid was fine they travel often so he knows how to conduct himself and kids at that age are flying alone he can chill in the back this was just very funny to me,” one Twitter user proclaimed, referencing Aiden’s past travels.

“I agree in letting the kids stay in economy but not alone,” another explained. “There needs to be someone there with them. Mom and dad would be taking turns in business.”

Others couldn’t take a joke.

“Y’all need parenting classes,” one slammed the couple.

“This is what happens when you weren’t wanted by ready parents,” one user shamed Akpan.

“Definitely wouldn’t have left my boy. My nerves and heart wouldn’t have let me,” another parent shunned.

This post was published by the New York Post and republished here with permission.

Originally published as I flew business class while my kid was in economy and I have no regrets