Choosing to sit young child with strangers on a plane

[redskytonight]

Yes, I am being very judgey but do I have the right to be?

Long haul flight -family of 5 comprising 3 small children (ages 2,4 and 6 at a guess), mum and dad. They have a block of 4 seats across the middle of the plane, plus a seat in the middle of the block of 4 behind. The seat is next to a man sitting across the aisle to the rest of his family on one side. On the other side is a 12 year old girl, and her mum, and the rest of their family across the aisle.

I have to admit that if this was my family I would sit one parent + all children on the single row (these were the seats they were assigned if it makes a difference), and the other parent behind. And maybe swap the adults half way through the flight.

The family actually chose to sit their 6 year old in the row behind. She spent a lot of time calling for her parents, the 12 year old spent a lot of time helping her to do things (operate ife, manage food) and telling her not do things (climb on seat), and the man sitting next to her felt obliged to swap seats with his wife (presumably because he wasn't happy sitting next to a young girl, but that is just my guess).

AIBU to think this was a really odd seating choice to make?

My 7 year old would love to e able to sit alone and away from us lol...I probably wouldnt let him tho...

One of the last times we travelled Air France gave my then 2 year old a seat at the front of the plane, my mum a seat a few rows behind him, me and the baby a seat in the middle of the plane, my then 3 year old niece a seat in the row behind me and my other half and my sister 2 seats atthe back of the plane when we all checked in together once...luckily I checked the tickets straight after checking in and realised the crappy seating assignment they had done so went back to the check in desk told them they had sat a 2 year old and a 3 year old alone. The lady apologised and then sat all of us together in a block of 6...why they didny do that to begin with I will never know

Yanbu. If 6 yo had started vomitting mid flight would they have expected the strangers tl deal with it? Or earache from the take off etc? Just lazt parenting imo