Tomato roots - do they need air

Have blundered across a few blogs and websites lately that have mentioned ensuring that your toms have air for the root systems. Suggestions included adding perlite to the compost, drilling lots of holes in containers (if growing in containers obviously) or inserting a 'holey' tube into the compost.

I'd not heard about this before with respect to tom's. Anyone seen any benefit when they've done this?

Pip pip,
Balders

My goodness. Thank you. (I think)
Pip pip,
Balders