Stansted airport group makes more money from car parks and shops than it does from aircraft fees.
Topsy turvy business models
Businesses have surprising revenue streams.
At any one time, Starbucks has about $1.8 billion loaded on to customers’ gift cards or its app. If Starbucks was a bank and you treated the gift cards as deposits, it would be in the top 10% of banks in the United States.
Tuvalu earns about 1/12th of its national income from licensing its ‘.tv’ domain to streaming platforms like Twitch.
30% of Uber drivers in the US have never had a bank account, but they need a minimum of a debit card to get paid on the app. So Uber has allowed drivers to sign up for a bank account as part of the application process, and in doing so has become the largest acquirer of small business bank accounts in the US.
In recent years, credit income has made up half of all income for the likes of Nordstrom and Kohl’s.
Cars aren’t even VW’s best selling product. They produce roughly 8 million currywursts (sausages) every year, which they sell in factory restaurants, as well as supermarkets and football stadiums.
It’s no wonder WH Smith disappeared from British high streets in 2025. It is really a travel business, generating £1.5 billion in sales from branches in airports and stations vs £452 million from shops on high streets.