And then it all started to go wrong
 

Had an interesting month -
Returned to Angola (where I have been working for last 6 years) from leave in France (where I am very slowly doing up a little place to maybe retire to - I am an Aussie).
Got arrested at Luanda airport, jailed (one night only) then deported as my visa had been cancelled (I had obviously stopped one too many powerful thief stealing money from the company). Got myself back to France (more rational than the suggestion of Namibia) only to have a cardiac incident and need to be hospitalised. Next (and only) contact from company I had been working for was to say I was fired. All in all, a good month all round !!!
Now the question: I am entitled to Business Class return to OZ as it is now (because I was fired) the end of my assignment but not sure when I will be allowed medically to fly - could be 2-3 months.
Fares seem enormously variable for Business Class tickets and I know I can probably get a return trip for the price of a one way depending on airline or downgrading to Premium Economy or even train down to Barcelona as departure point (only 2-3 hours away) but (despite no cost to company) am getting no interest from them in providing a refundable or at least changeable fare. Any suggestions on the ticket/fare type I need

Wow, what a month. Sorry to hear of your setbacks. It ought to be good to get home.

I'm a bit confused -- you say you are "entitled" to business class transport home as it's the end of your work tour, but the company is showing "no interest in providing a refundable or at least changeable fare". Do they want to fly you home right now, or not wait until you get a permission slip from the medicos? You say there is "no cost to company" but of course they are paying to send you home, correct?

Once you are ruled fit to fly you can have the company buy any ticket they want ex-CDG (presumably), but you don't know when that is. So... what is the question? I would send your ex-employer medical data indicating that you're grounded for the foreseeable, but you will have them book a J class ticket back to Oz when you're able to travel, etc. and at that point it can be a discount / non-refundable deal if they like -- which can be had on any number of carriers ex-CDG.

No advice but much sympathy and best wishes for the future

Sorry I wasn't clear enough.
In the old days when I first started being an expat (many moons ago), Business Class (which is what I am contractually entitled to) was very flexible. You could change dates, change airlines or cash the ticket in and travel at a different class or departure point.

My experience now is that there is Business Class and there is business class ie at least two different levels within the definition of Business class with vastly different levels of flexibility.

Eg I had to travel from Toulouse to Singapore a couple of years ago (visa issues again come to think of it but not as nasty - maybe it is me - dont forget, even paranoids have real enemies) and an ATC strike stopped the flight. Despite being Business class, I was advised by the airline that I was restricted as to whom I could fly as an alternative, whether I could train down to Barcelona and fly out of there etc etc

Bottom line - The company will buy a business class flight for a date in the future and for the same or less as a one way ticket I could get a return and come back here next year. However how changeable are Business Class tickets or is that so dependent on which airline that no simple answer can be given.

PS thanks for the sympathy - forgot to mention that as an ex-employee, my medical coverage has also been cancelled

Ah, I see, much clearer. With the caveat that I don't fly the Kangaroo Route form Europe, business class tickets are now sometimes sold in different flavors, same as economy ones -- pricier "flex" tickets that permit changes and refunds, discount tickets that permit no changes and are sometimes non-refundable (I think those often show as Z class, though it varies by carrier), and sometimes gradations in between -- e.g. changes permitted if you pay a fee, etc.

So there is no simple answer, but in your case I would angle for the full whack -- roundtrip / return "flex" ticket with an arbitrary return trip date that you can change later. Even if there's a fee for changing the return that you end of paying, it would be worth it.

I just searched Emirates CDG-DXB-SYD and return in business class for you, out 17 Sep back 17 Dec, and there are no discount options showing but the full whack, including unlimited changes, is EUR4931 which doesn't seem so bad. KLM will do you the same and run EUR5111 for those dates, via AMS and KUL, last leg on Malaysian.

You can get better deals, with restrictions, through travel consolidators and sometimes Asian travel agents with connections to Asian lines like Cathay or Singapore. But the straight fare doesn't seem like so much money and considering you've been sacked and had your heath cover yanked I would see if I could find a way to make the company purchase the entire aircraft for you.

Or a smallish country at least !!

Cathay Pacific will do you "Business Standard" on those dates (17 Sep-17 Dec) for EUR4251, "Business Flex" for EUR4552. The difference is that changing your return date is free for "Business Flex," EUR200 for "Standard," you can't have an HKG stopover with "Standard," and "Standard" comes with stiffer cancellation penalties. Not much in it really.

Thanks - I'll follow up

And then it all started to go wrong
 

Yes you are speaking of old days when F was FIrst flexible and C was biz and Y was economy. I certainly would careful and verify and verify again with the particular airline you choose. Oh and pick one that will be still operating well into future

If the company is purchasing a ticket for a fired employee, I would be careful about planning to change the ticket or turn it in for a RT or travel in a different cabin. The company could prevent changes without their approval or even try to bill you for half if you make it into a RT.

In these circumstances, I'd just try to get a very convenient and stress free schedule starting from Paris (no train to BCN right after you're cleared to travel) in a very comfortable business class cabin with good service and good IROPs help.

Is getting a large checked baggage allowance a consideration?

Probably good advice . Its just frustrating that, at no additional cost to them, I could do something convenient to me.

Baggage not much use as I was returning from vacation (travelling light) when arrested, jailed and deported. I could almost see my apartment from the jail but my suggestions that I stay there didnt go down that well !!

It did annoy me that when I paid the bribe to get a cell of my own, I didn't check that the water actually worked - and of course it didn't. Also not helped by the driver who was taking me to the deportation point the next day demanding a bribe as well

Whats the old saying : Worse things happen at sea

Oh dear, sorry to hear about all this...sounds terrible! You've been given good advice here, to which I can't add a great deal. Every loud has a silver lining, I like to think!