You have my sympathy. How awful though not to even get an overnight bag and that they needed authority for this. Where is customer service?
Happened to us on a flight ABZ-MUC via AMS a couple of years ago. Off for a week's holiday in Bavaria, arrived at MUC to be told both our bags had not arrived.
They did give us emergency kits and did give us 50 euros each for emergency items. As this was a Sat afternoon and we had trains to get to our final destination, we had no choice but to buy emergency items at the airport. Big mistake, my replacement underwear (two items) in Esprit cost 50 euros
Then things went gradually downhill. The tracking on the website did not work at all. We were originally told our bags would arrive on the Sunday. We stayed in most of the day to wait. No bags. Tracking still not working, gave no information whatsoever. Phoned and was told they were in MUC and we would have our bags on Monday. Monday came and went, no bags. Nobody could tell us where our bags were and when we would get them. They eventually arrived Tuesday afternoon by DPD. Not ideal when you are on a weeks holiday in a small Bavarian town with absolutely none of your personal belongings.
I did complain when I got home and they sent us 20 euros per person off next flight. Well I made sure I used that for our next flight and what a carry on it was to use it. I ended up having to post the vouchers to AMS by registered mail to use them. Think it cost me as much as the discount with all the phone calls and postage.