Wanting the airline to pay for MUCH better carseats (lost luggage)

[daphnevelma]

We checked in our two (very safe/nice) car seats at the oversized luggage area and long story short, they haven't arrived and nobody seems to know where they are. They've been missing for two days now and we fly home in four days. Because we have a three month old and a two year old, we obviously needed carseats to transport them in the hire car, but the only ones available to hire were horrendous. We tried every other option but this was all we could do. I really, really don't want to put my children back in these seats but our only other option is to buy some. Will the airline or insurance refund us for these? I can't seem to find any information anywhere and currently can't get through to our insurance.

Any advice?

[Title edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

They're likely to replace like for like, I would think. What does your policy say?

You need to look at what your insurance says/ talk to your insurance company.

If it matters that much I'd get the expensive car seats keep the receipts and the work on getting as much of that back as possible.

When the airline lost ours a few years ago it was an absolute non issue to get it replaced and had no bearing on what we purchased while we were out there. They asked the make and model of the seat asked for a link to one online and they gave me the cost of a like for like seat and that they still hoped the lost one would turn up.
our original arrived randomly by courier in the middle of the day about a month after we got back.

Who did you speak to? Was it your insurance or the airline? Thank you!