The deadly crash of an Air India flight carrying more than 240 people on Thursday arrives after years of attempts to turn around the country's flag carrier — which had been plagued by tragedy and financial losses under prior state ownership.

"Air India has been slated for scruffy, poorly maintained cabin interiors and sketchy service at times - however in the world of aviation this does not necessarily translate as poorly maintained functionality of aircraft and their airworthiness, all of which will undergo significant technical checks before deployed into the air.

While Air India has played a pivotal role in connecting India to the world, its history is checkered with multiple high-casualty incidents.

The crash happened just weeks after the company cut a deal with the U.S. government to avoid taking criminal responsibility for a pair of deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019.