Most US airport rental car returns work on the drive up and abandon it scenario - most under cover too. Detroit last year was the one that stood out as being outside in the weather. Of course when you pick one up under cover, late at night, or smack in the middle of a dark winter rush-hour somewhere new, and the flippin' sat-nav, sorry "GPS" for our American friends, doesn't want to let you know where you are, or where you need to be, until you are three lanes too far over, going the wrong way, stuck in a jam . . .I returned the car a few mins ago. Chicago O hare airport is a very busy place so it was a drive up, leave keys get out scenario.
So we got our stuff and a guy walked over to take it on in. I said to him about the chipped windscreen but either he did not hear me or knows an inspection is coming so he didn't respond just asked to confirm my email and away we went.
Sometimes when returning a rental car there is an opportunity to dicuss damage but not this time.
I'm quite sure there will be an email and card charge coming so will see.
For all the crap the guys and girls working for car rental in the USA must get daily though, they always seem very polite and friendly - to me anyway.
I've not had to rent from a UK airport, so no idea how the setup is, but I do like the US idea of mostly sticking the rentals all together away from the busy airport area - I might have taken advantage of that to either drop off colleagues, or be dropped off there so they/I can use the free bus into the terminal