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Sometimes, with babies, there is really nothing the parents can do. The changes in air pressure on takeoff and landing cause severe pain in babies' ears. Most adults can handle the changes by swallowing hard, sucking on hard candy, or chewing gum. Even our grown daughter gets severe sinus pressure, and ear pain, depending on the type of aircraft. Now think about little babies; they don't understand the concept of pressure changes, except that it hurts, and they don't know how to fix it. Parents can try using a pacifier, but crying babies spit them out, not realizing that sucking on them will help them. A nursing mother could hold the baby and nurse through takeoff and landing, but sometimes flight attendants won't allow that; the baby has to be restrained in the carrier in the adjoining seat.

So yes, it is annoying, but the babies can't help it, and their parents can't do a thing about it. Toddlers are a completely different story; if they're screaming and being obnoxious, the parent's CAN do something about that. Usually it involves talking a lot about what the plane is doing, pointing out the window, if you can see anything, or just doing a mighty job of distraction.

I like the idea of them being in the back of the plane, because they usually take the longest with getting settled in their seats, and not having to wait for them trying to do that in the middle of the plane makes complete sense. The same in reverse; folks aren't delayed getting off with parents having to re-load all the kids' gear.

Simple fix to a baby ear pressure: Valsalva Maneuver. You do it every time you hold your nose and blow to release pressure in your ears. A quick hold and release of an infant’s/child’s nose can clear their pressure jsut as well. It might take several tries to coordinate their blowing out and you holding their nose for them, but it works just the same. For children that can safely chew gum, gun chewing can also help.