I've already seen Name too long for e-ticket. Should I be worried?. But that question is focused on the middle name which isn't that important. This is about the surname. I also left a comment on the accepted answer but received no reply.
The name I'm asking for is:
Given name is 4 characters. Surname is: 9 (space) 22 characters
Currently all airlines are refusing to allow my friend to purchase a ticket. What can they do about it?