Yes, it is petty. And they also force you to sit AB or BC or DE etc. You can't choose AC. I called and asked them to sit my daughter and I in AC in the back. The rep on the phone was like a school marm - she gave me a lecture about how someone might sit between us, and then if they didn't want to move to the aisle or window, it would inconvenience them because we would want to talk and then we'd have to talk over that person's lap, etc etc. I was like, REALLY? I said, excuse me. Every other airline I've flown has allowed me to choose individual seats for passengers. And I have never known anyone who willingly chooses a middle seat - I am sure if a passenger is seated between us, they would gladly take the aisle or window. She still didn't like it and said she had to go check, and eventually came back and said she could do it. I almost asked if I had gotten the non-premium help desk instead of the one for Air NZ's most valuable customers, but I didn't.