Thx for the good wishes, I'll need it if anything different materializes.

I was flown by air to different employers ..yes, interviews at places outside of present city. This is how complicated things could become...or not. Latter result is fine also.

KG, I hope you get a job related to your experience next year. Yea, bumping...that collective agreement "benefit" curse. I did experience myself when I worked in government...a shocking experience. Fortunately I elected to apply immediately for a parallel job that matched my formal training and years of experience. I was INCREDIBLY lucky. It was a great work experience and probably led me to several other jobs thereafter.

It was a long time ago. But the place that I was bumped from, holds a special place professionally in my heart and head since where I was working at that time, only 60 similar places like that exist world-wide.