Try the complaint and you might be given something. But, you were delayed rather than being totally shafted. There are enough postings floating around on FT and AFF saying you need the ticket number before anything else. So, sympathy on FT will be shallow only

FWIW, I’ve been caught out in BKK with a res on AY but no ticket number. AY spent an hour sorting it out for me - it was their fault but I was naieve at the importance of a PNR and a ticket number. I had not checked on the e-ticket Issuing.