Apple ID password recovery

Perhaps somebody else may have struggled with a similar issue?

A few days ago my Iphone 6 decided to reboot and relaunch on its own completely all the way to the Activation Lock screen , requiring me to type in my Apple ID details- none of the passwords I could remember worked. Which meant I could not the use the phone, its apps, get to the Home screen, nothing. Ok.

I tried to recover the pass using all the instructions available- to no avail, resolving to launch the auto-recovery mode with several days waiting period. Still waiting for good news to restore the pass, fingers crossed.

What strikes me strange though, is that at no point during the process was I given 1) option to recover by email (commonly used by everyone else), 2) option to answer security questions.

All possible options given to me were through the phone number only- but it is locked- I cannot move past the Apple ID activation lock screen, thus unable to receive any messages (only calls).

Seems like a very strange situation and well, I would like to at least recover my contacts, but the whole password recovery set up seems so limiting, I cannot understand why it can only go through the phone number. Of course, security is the main reason- but then you should still be able to include several options, such as email address, security questions..

Hoping to have it resolved soon- any tips would be really appreciated.

Thanks

Ekaterina