Manchester Airport condemns ‘reckless’ lift surfer who posted YouTube video of stunt

Manchester Airport has condemned as “reckless” and “irresponsible” a YouTube video showing someone riding on top of a lift car at the travel hub - a practice known as “lift surfing”.

YouTube channel RYEGI posted more than six minutes of footage of someone ‘riding’ on the top of the box that transports passengers up and down the lift shaft. The video then shifts to a nearby hotel and shows lift surfing with views of the surrounding area.

It is not the first time the channel has posted footage of lift surfing in Manchester, with another video showing similar rides up and down the lift shaft at a city centre skyscraper.

The airport has slammed the footage, which it said took place in a car park, and said the matter has been referred to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for investigation.

What does the lift surfing video at Manchester Airport show and what has Ryegi said?

The video, which is titled: “Lift Surfing in Manchester Airport”, shows almost seven minutes of footage of the activity being undertaken in the travel hub.

The footage, posted by the RYEGI channel, shows nothing more than views of the lift equipment for the majority of it, with automated announcements saying doors are opening and closing heard in the background.

Towards the end, though, a caption explains that the lift surfer also visited a nearby hotel with a glass lift and more footage is shown with views of the surrounding area.

It is not the first time the channel has filmed lift surfing in Manchester, with footage from inside a Deansgate skyscraper uploaded several months ago. There are also videos from a number of other Greater Manchester locations.

The description of the RYEGI channel says it is dedicated to: “Lift surfing, Skyscrapers, Urban Exploring & more”. All the videos are posted with warnings urging people not to copy anything shown on the channel and saying lift surfing comes with risks including being crushed, electrocuted or trapped and lift surfers could end up seriously injured or killed.

Ryegi previously told another news organisation that he began lift surfing aged 12 and found the clandestine hobby “fun and thrilling” but was also open about the risks being taken.

He said: “The main thing I sometimes worry about is getting crushed, which I recently came very close to. I reiterate the dangers of lift surfing on all my YouTube videos.

“It’s important to be aware of all of the potential risks to be able to manage them.”

What has Manchester Airport said?

A Manchester Airport spokesperson said: “We are aware of a video appearing to show someone riding on top of a lift in one of our car parks. We do not condone such reckless and irresponsible behaviour and have referred this matter to the police, who are investigating.” The airport said it also ran security checks on all the lifts after it became aware of the video.

ManchesterWorld has approached Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for clarification on any investigation into the video.