It is not after they are accommodated, it is after RM determine that they should be able to accommodate them, usually the same thing but it can get derailed by last minute F purchases or IRROPS.

In this case though we don't have to go looking for anything exotic, by his own statement on the first page, the OP was #8 on the list with no more than 7 seats available. So there were 7 people ahead of him with higher status, earlier request dates, through flights etc.