403 forbidden server error/make genius bar appointment

I am working with a client of mine - she has many apple products. She's been having issues with her circa 2011 macbook and a brand new 2020 ipad. we have gone online several times with apple to get tech support via phone, and that is fine. she is attempting to make a genius bar appointment to take her ipad in, but keeps getting a 403 forbidden error when she goes to https://getsupport.apple.com/?caller=arshw

which is the button on the apple webpage for "hardware problems"

She mentioned this on the phone to apple and they told her it was a problem with her wifi or router. My experience tells me that a 403 forbidden error means you do not have permission to access that page - i.e., the IP address is blocked. She can access it if she does it via her phone, through the cellular network, but not through her wifi.

I tried safari (normal and with private window), I tried via Chrome (normal and via incognito window).... didn't work either way.

Has anyone else had this problem.... and did you find it was a problem with your network, or is it that apple is trying to manage the flow of genius bar appointments by minimizing access to the online appointments? Or, maybe apple just has a problem with their webiste and/or htaccess file?

Thoughts?