Ask HN: Has a co. ever cancelled your onsite interview after buying the ticket?

This just happened to me. This company approached me about a month ago. They tested my programming skills, had me talk to managers and decided they wanted to fly me out. We set an itinerary and I bought the ticket. Then -- they cancelled the interview after a few days. They will reimburse the ticket.

Is this common in the software-engineering realm? The reason for cancelling was that there was a change in their hiring strategy. A manager told me I would be on their list as more roles will open up later in the year, and they might contact me for a different role. Should I hold my breath?

This was surprising as the company treated me as a desirable candidate; they saw my skills and potential as an asset to their team. It would have been nice to prove myself even more during the interview.

I am a valuable candidate and I am confident I can be hired elsewhere. It's a mild shame since I was genuinely interested in this company.

What are your thoughts on this?