Recently the aviation industry is growing faster than it was forecasted. Polish airport mostly have their origins in early 20th Century, and most of them were constructed for military purposes. Over the time the airports were developed within the given area without anticipating limitations of urban space. Presently, spatial development of most airports is seriously hindered due to dynamic expansion of urban development. It has reached the point where both the airport and the city suffocate each other's territorial expansion. Cohabitation of urban space and airports creates a threat of the phenomenon of spatial disorientation. The present article discusses the problem faced by pilots experiencing spatial disorientation which is a threat to aviation operations safety. In fact, most cases regarding spatial disorientation are provoked by incoherent spatial management and the airport location within the physical space. Conclusions are drawn based on the research carried out where pilots with different backgrounds and levels of experience expressed their opinions on the causes of spatial disorientation related with the location of the airport in the urban area.