F40.243
BillableFear of flying
HCC Category Mapping
RxHCCHCC 133 — Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Other Specified Mental Disorders
0.000What This Code Means
An intense, irrational fear of flying that may prevent a person from traveling by airplane.
Coding Tips
- •Document specific triggers (turbulence, takeoff, landing, enclosed space) if documented
- •Distinguish from general anxiety disorder by the specific situational trigger
Clinical Significance
Fear of flying (aviophobia) is a situational type specific phobia that affects a significant portion of the population and can severely limit personal and professional travel. It may involve fear of crash, turbulence, confined space, loss of control, or heights. This phobia has direct occupational implications for individuals whose jobs require air travel.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Marked fear or anxiety specifically about flying in aircraft
- ✓Fear is disproportionate to the actual statistical risk of flying
- ✓Consistent anxiety response when flying or anticipating flights
- ✓Avoidance of air travel or endurance with intense distress
- ✓Duration of 6+ months
- ✓Impact on personal and/or professional functioning
Commonly Confused Codes
F40.240 (Claustrophobia) — Some flying phobia involves enclosed space fear, but aviophobia is specifically about flightF40.241 (Acrophobia) — Height fear may contribute to flying phobia but is a separate conditionF40.248 (Other situational type phobia) — Use the specific F40.243 for flying phobia rather than the residual categoryF41.0 (Panic disorder) — Panic attacks during flights may be panic disorder rather than specific flying phobia