Originally Posted by
channa
There should only be one ticket number per passenger, regardless of the number of airlines flown. The fact that he called AS and they found the record (and gave him the record locator) is fine.
Sorry I was unclear and maybe misunderstood the OP a little. There should have been an AS record locator immediately (even before ticketing). I guess there was? If the DL flights were no problem, then there was an 006 number.
I have been in a similar situation where DL did not pay BA. Of course, I had the advantage of a DL station there (though opened an hour after my BA flight left, but it ended up working to my advantage). So it does happen.