A300 man, I suspect the 300 captain you spoke to a few years back has never flown a fast jet...
DD if a 330, or any type for that matter coming in from Oman FIR to DXB is at 10K' at 70nm then there is not much height above the rocks. And in summer particularly he is getting knocked by turbulence and probabley slowed down without telling you. Don't know why he was that low, maybe checking out camping spots??? But to suggest this is common with Ek 330s is crap I would have to say.