NEW DELHI - Air India's CEO vowed on Wednesday to improve internal practices after a plane crash in June killed 260 people, in his first public comments about the accident that he said would contribute to a "challenging" year for the airline.

The Tata Group-owned carrier has been facing intense scrutiny ever since the crash, from warning notices for running planes without checking emergency equipment to not changing engine parts in time and forging records, along with other lapses related to crew fatigue management.