DH ill abroad. How do I change his flight home?

[clam]

He's currently holed up in a 5* hotel in Malaysia , and been advised not to join his colleagues in their distinctly dodgy hotel further north because it's not clean and there'd be no access to a doctor. He's on the mend now, but if he doesn't go north tomorrow, there's no point in staying and he might as well come home, if he's OK to fly, which I think he will be. He's asked me to investigate transferring his trip home to an earlier flight, although his work will have to actually do it.
Where do I start? Will there be a massive penalty (although got to be cheaper than current hotel! Shame he can't enjoy it).

try checking with the travel insurance - if he has to change plans through illness that might be covered.

If his work book his flights I'd let them deal with it. Is this a one off trip abroad? If he always works abroad his company will go through different channels to book flights etc anyway.

His work travel agents will deal with it - I have only ever needed to call mine with a problem and they get me on the next available flight. Or his travel insurers should deal with it.

If he just wants to know when there are flights at this point I can look it up for you quickly on TravelPlan

That's really kind of you, cmot, but I do know that there are two flights daily. I guess it's a question of a) if there's availability (and there surely should be if both are Jumbos?) and b) what the transfer charge is, although work should probably pay for that. Have checked our insurance and no go.

Work will deal with the charge - they can sort out claiming for it from their travel insurers if they want.
Just call (or get his travel booker to do it if an admin person usually books his travel) the travel agents and they will find availability, the cost and do the flight transfer. Its what they're paid for after all !

Have just spoken to his boss, and she was absolutely adamant that the most important thing is his health and comfort and that the cost is irrelevant. He's welcome to stay on at this fancy hotel (which he's sick of now!!!) or come home if he'd prefer. That's a relief.

Good - sounds like he could get a sneaky upgrade out of it too ! Unless he already works for a company that let you travel business class

Good idea, but they're allowed to upgrade to a class of travel that this airline doesn't have!