 YOKO Ono last night threw her weight behind the Daily Post's campaign for flights to London from the airport named after her late husband, John Lennon. The widow of the world's most influential musician said the city where John was born must have a direct air link to the capital. Two years ago, Ms Ono-Lennon allowed Liverpool Airport to change its name in memory of her late husband. Experts then predicted that by using name of Lennon, it would put Liverpool on the world map - just like Charles de Gaulle and JFK have given airports in Paris and New York a higher profile. While many business and political leaders are backing our "Fight for a Flight", Yoko Ono's support is a major boost for the campaign. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Post she said: "It is time for the city to open itself up on a grand scale so the world at large can experience and enjoy its culture. "An important first step in achieving this would be to create a direct air link between Liverpool, Capital of Culture, and London, capital of Britain." We are urging the government to ringfence slots for regional services at Heath-row Airport and exempt Merseyside from Air Passenger Duty (APD). Liverpool won a tough battle to land the prestigious Capital of Culture title against Cardiff, Newcastle-Gateshead, Birmingham and Oxford. But with the exception of just Oxford, every one of those cities have regular flights to at least one of London's airports. Yet Liverpool, the city chosen for the European honour, does not. Speaking from her home in the Dakota Building, New York, Ms Ono-Lennon added: "I believe firmly that a direct link between the Liverpool John Lennon Airport and London must be established as soon as possible. "Just imagine the impact Liverpool will have with its air connections expanded. "It was 40 years ago that the Beatl es brought Liverpool's un m is taka bl e energy and spirit to the whole world, and now is the time to make sure that spirit becomes more accessible than ever before. Above us only sky." * EVIDENCE has emerged that John Lennon's 'Imagine' - one of the world's favourite songs - should have carried a co-writing credit for Yoko Ono. The title track of 1971's Imagine album regularly tops polls of favourite songs and was always thought to be inspired by Lennon's hopes for a more peaceful world. In a documentary due to be screened on BBC2, however, Ono claims that she coined the refrain in reaction to her childhood in Japan during WWII. She says it was inspired by trying to use the power of imagination to create a better world for her and her brother. | 
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