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Airlines no longer will be required to accommodate travelers who want to fly with emotional support animals such as pigs, rabbits and turkeys under a final rule announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The new rule now defines a service animal to be a dog that is “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability” and limits the number of service animals a person can travel with to two. It also requires airlines to treat psychiatric service animals as they would other service animals. (Aratani, 12/2)

The days of pets flying with their owners in airplane cabins for free are coming to an end. The Transportation Department issued a final rule Wednesday covering animals on airlines. It decided that only dogs can fly as service animals, and companions that passengers use for emotional support don’t count. The rule aims to settle years of tension between airlines and passengers who bring their pets on board for free by saying they need them for emotional help. Under a longstanding department policy, all the passengers needed was a note from a health professional. (Koenig, 12/2)

American Airlines and United Airlines are pausing plans to operate nonstop flights to Shanghai from the U.S. following reports of lengthy waits facing airline crews upon arrival, limited local accommodations and restrictions on their movement in the country, according to people familiar with the matter. They will instead route the flights with a stop in South Korea, the people said, asking not to be named because they aren’t authorized to talk about it. (Josephs, 12/1)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has set the risk of COVID-19 in Mexico to its highest level and is urging travelers to avoid going to the country. The CDC set its risk level to level four, which is “very high,” warning that going to the country “may increase your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19." (Williams, 12/2)