So, the original complaint about a too early check in is moot. There is no change, it was an error in the reservation system.
As for the belief that such an error should have been worked out before implementation, I can say that this does not happen with any business model. Computer glitches, typing errors, etc., get missed all the time by companies. It's not just a government thing - all businesses have something like this happen. You do everything you can to get it right, then if/when something pops up after release, you fix it. Sort of like recalls. :)