The Air India plane crash on Thursday which left more than 240 people dead, the worst aviation disaster in a decade, will challenge the airline's ambitious campaign to restore its reputation and revamp its fleet.

An Air India plane crashed Thursday near a major international airport in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, the airline and the country’s government said.

An Air India passenger plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, soon after departing for London's Gatwick airport, the airline and officials said.