I have had the opposite experience: in the days leading up to a DXB-MLE-CMB flight (I was heading to CMB), including at T-24, it was showing 8/8 per the EK website and Expertflyer. When I checked in online at T-4 it fell to 6/8; sitting in the F lounge, it fell again to 4/8, which meant I could change seats. I guess it was possible that there were misconnections.