I think this will be a very good thread, so thank you JDiver.
This post is a long account of my favorite memory of Piedmont/US Airways...
I was born in the United Kingdom, I have a British father and an American mother. My mother was from Winston-Salem and when I was 7, my parents decided to move back to the US. By this point, Piedmont had just started non-stop service to London Gatwick and LGW-CLT would be my first ever flight. On August 1st 1987, we drove from a town outside of London down to Gatwick airport, I remember it was a beautiful morning with the sun rising, no clouds, just blue sky. And as we drove past Heathrow, I heard the roar of an airplane, a British Airways 747-200. I still have the picture of that 747, which I snapped on my Polaroid camera.
To "celebrate" our new life back in the US, we flew Piedmont's Business Class, on N603P, the Pride of Piedmont, a 767-201ER. The 5-across cabin, 2-1-2 with blue-striped seats. My mother and I were sitting on the two seats on the right hand side of the cabin, whilst my father's seat was the lone centre seat, all three of us in the second row. IRC there were 5 rows of seats. There was a little amenity kit with eye-shades, ear-plugs, comb etc, there was a big comfy pillow and a plush, warm blanket.
After take-off the IFE started up, with a massive screen on the centre bulkhead, the headphones were really comfortable and for a 7 year old boy it was like being in a movie theatre!
But the food was perhaps the highlight of that flight for me. I remember that all the food was brought out by serving carts, there was roast beef that the flight attendant would carve for you in front of your very eyes, but what was even more impress was a two-tier chocolate gateau which was impressive for a 7 year old and I remember before landing there was a snack service, I can't remember what it was but we served chocolate-covered strawberries as a 'dessert'. I remember seeing Charlotte and North Carolina for the first time, thinking it was so green. I think we landed on 36R before taxing over to the C concourse. That was my very first flight ever, and that's what got my hooked on flying. I flew between CLT and LGW many times on Piedmont in coach as an unaccompanied minor. And I loved it, every summer and every-other Christmas (with my parents during the holidays) I would fly over to the United Kingdom.
I remember when USAir merged with Piedmont and when USAir operated as British Airways for a bit. But what I really remember is when D-concourse was built at CLT. Due to those many flights on Piedmont and USAir, a I decided to become a flight attendant.
So thank you US Airways, you have given me a life-time of memories and I will for sure, miss you. Goodbye Cactus.