Inability to change a reservation

[Michael4969]

I have a reservation that was due to start late March, and because of the lockdowns the trip has been delayed multiple times. Each time it gets delayed again, I message the homeowners to make sure they're okay with the date change, then try to make the change. Each time when I click 'change or cancel' it takes me to an error page that says 

Oops! Well, this is unexpected… Error code: 500

An error has occurred and we're working to fix the problem! We’ll be up and running shortly.

This has happened each time I've tried to change the reservation dates. Each time I've had to contact customer service, explain what new dates I need, and they usually have to bump it up the ladder until hours or days later someone can finally change the dates for me.  I know everyone is scrambling, but honestly why wouldn't airbnb want to FIX this problem instead of it letting it keep taking at least two levels of customer service attention for a simple date change. It's  now two months later, I've got yet another date change, the problem is still occurring, and between me, the hosts, and customer service we've gone through this rigamarole at least five times for a process that ought to have been simple button click requests on my part and button click accepts on the hosts' part. I've asked each time why it's requiring two levels of customer service attention to make a simple date change and no one can tell me. Is this happening to anyone else? Is it related to the virus somehow? I was pretty patient the first three or four times but I'm starting to have a hard time understanding why this isn't getting fixed.

[Sarah977]

@Michael4969  The Airbnb site is rife with glitches, always has been. If it's not one thing, it's another. Yes, to our logical minds we would wonder why they would want to pay CS staff to deal with these things over and over again instead of just having their tech dept. fix it. As a user, be it host or guest, these ongoing glitches are indeed frustrating and time-wasting. The company loves coming up with new features, new page formats, glitzy advertising, while ignoring the long-standing problems that they are well-aware of.

I have no answers as to why.  I suspect they don't pay enough to attract really good tech staff.

[Michael4969]

I finally got a CS rep on the phone and he told me he'd have to direct the issue to a "specialist" who would get back to me in a "timely fashion." After I pointed out that the current dates started in less than two days, he told me he'd mark it "urgent" so a specialist would get to it sooner.  It's a date change to a res with flexible cancellation, and the owner is amenable. What the heck kind of policy would prevent a customer service rep from being authorized to make a change that the customer themselves ought to be able to make. I know there's a lot of chaos going on all over but this is just baffling. 

[Sarah977]

@Michael4969  Maybe try them on Twitter. Supposedly you get better responses when contacting them that way.  

[Michael4969]

Thanks, Sarah, I'll try that. Now been ten days since I started this process. I've already been billed for over $2000 for a stay I'm supposed to be paying $300 for. Sigh.