WASHINGTON — A former CEO of American Airlines yesterday backed imposition of a three-hour time limit on how long airlines can strand passengers on airport tarmacs, but he also warned of unintended consequences.

Robert Crandall parted company from his former industry colleagues and joined passengers rights advocates as they took their case to Congress. The legislation is pending in the Senate.

FDIC MAY BORROW MONEY FROM BANKS

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is weighing several costly and unprecedented options as it struggles to shore up the dwindling fund that insures bank deposits.

The agency is considering borrowing billions from healthy banks or imposing a special fee on the banking industry. Each carries risk: Drawing money from healthy banks would take dollars out of the private sector, but charging the whole industry a fee could push weaker banks toward failure.

HUMMER SUITOR EYES DETROIT BASE

DETROIT — The Chinese company that's in the running to buy Hummer from General Motors Co. likely will locate the brand's corporate headquarters near Detroit, a spokesman said yesterday.

Spokesman Nick Richards says Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Corp., which is still negotiating to buy the brand, initially will employ about 100 people at the headquarters with plans to grow that to 300.

The headquarters would house global design, engineering, product planning, purchasing, sales, service, marketing and financing, Richards said.

The company plans to invest $9.4 million over five years, he said.

— Associated Press